Hikari
by Death-Angel-Hikari
Summary: The sole heir to a lost bloodline, accustomed to living in a world that doesn't know her true story, is suddenly forced to return to 'the homeland'. Suddenly faced with the task of savior of her world, will she succeed?
1. Prologue: The Mountain Chateau

A/N: Yay! New story! I had forgotten that I had uploaded this to my account a few weeks back...hehe...

Mei: Sorry for the delay!

Disclaimer - Aki: Kari does not own Beyblade and/or its characters, save for the OC's to be encountered herein...

* * *

**Prologue: The Mountain Chateau**

The wind howled, pushing torrents of rain against the sleek black car that climbed the steep, lonely mountain road. Still, it pushed on.

"Grandmother, why are we going to the chateau now? We've almost never used it before, have we?" A young, 16-year-old girl asked from the back seat. She had been told to pack a few things and then hurried into the car a few hours ago, back in the small mansion she called 'home'. A place that now seemed a billion hours away. She was tired, and bored.

"Hush." The elderly, stern-looking woman in the front passenger seat, next to the private chauffeur, commanded. "That is strictly business, Yuriko. You need only know that it concerns you, nothing more."

The auburn-haired girl sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, Grandmother." She looked out the window at the driving rain.

_As long as this won't turn out as boring as the first quarter of the holidays, I'll be fine…_

* * *

_What a great way to spend the holidays…_16-year-old Kai Hiwatari thought, staring out the window at the driving rain.

"Kai?" the gruff, stern voice of his grandfather, Sochirou Hiwatari, interrupted the slate-haired teen's thoughts. "Are you listening to me?"

Kai nodded slowly, never averting his gaze from the window. "Yes, Grandfather."

"Good. Now, we are going to see an old business partner of mine tomorrow, so I expect you to be on your best behavior. You shall not speak unless spoken to, and you shall treat her with the respect that is due to a person of her high position."

_How else would he have wanted me to act?_ Kai thought moodily as he rolled his eyes. Aloud, he said, "I shall do as you say." The gray-haired business mogul nodded in approval.

"Excellent."

Kai went back to staring out the window, and the limo was quiet for several minutes. Then, the 16-year-old broke the silence.

"Where are we going, anyway?" he asked irritably as he turned to face his grandfather. Instantly, he regretted having used _that_ tone of voice. He noticed the older Hiwatari's face tighten, the mouth reduced to a cold, thin line.

"Where we are going does not concern you," Sochirou's voice was quiet, yet it demanded attention and respect. Though it was monotone, Kai could sense the threat hidden in the words.

"Fine."

_As soon as we get there – wherever _there_ is,_ Kai thought as he turned back to the window. _The first thing I'm going to do is get as far from there as possible…I am not spending the holidays with Mr. High-and-Mighty and his pal…_

* * *

"Bring these upstairs immediately," Yuriko's grandmother, Miyuri Takenoichi, ordered, gesturing to a small pile of luggage. Two male servants, both dressed in tuxedos, stepped forward. "The ones with a blue tag are to be brought to my room, while the ones tagged in red are Yuriko's." she finished. The two servants bowed, and then picked up the bags. Yuriko's deep purple gaze followed them as they made their way down the hall. She watched as they disappeared up a majestic-looking staircase.

"Yuriko."

"Yes, Grandmother?"

"If you want, you may stay in the upstairs library." Here, she gestured to a servant girl who had short, black hair and couldn't have been more than sixteen years old, at the very most. "Ryuko here will show you the way."

The girl called Ryuko stepped forward and bowed; Yuriko bowed, too, to show her acknowledgement.

"You may go," Miyuri said dismissively; Ryuko bowed again and gestured for Yuriko to follow her upstairs, which she did.

There was silence for several minutes as Ryuko led Yuriko through the upstairs hallways. _She must have been instructed not to speak unless spoken to,_ the auburn-haired teen thought, glancing at her silent companion's nervous face. She decided to break the ice.

"How long have you been working for my grandmother, Ryuko?"

"Only for a few months, Takenoichi-sama," the servant girl replied.

"Oh." The teen fell silent as she followed who must have been her 'personal servant' – her grandmother had a nasty habit of appointing her a new one each year. Several more minutes passed, when suddenly, Ryuko stopped walking and turned to face her charge.

"The library is right through here, Takenoichi-sama," she said, bowing. "Perhaps you would like me to accompany you inside?"

Yuriko shook her head, smiling. "No, thank you, Ryuko. I won't be needing you for quite some time."

"Then, I shall summon you when dinner preparations are finished. Or would you prefer that I bring up a dinner tray for you? Your grandmother told me you are rather fond of reading."

Yuriko laughed, putting a hand to her mouth, as she had been taught. "Oh, how she exaggerates! However, I guess I _would_ like to have a tray brought up. I'd like to get through as many books as I can tonight."

Ryuko bowed again. "Very well, Takenoichi-sama." Having finished her 'duty', she walked off down the hall.

Yuriko approached the great oak double doors. Taking a deep breath, she seized a handle, turned it, and pushed open one of the doors. She stepped inside…and gasped.

The library was _huge_ compared to the one she was used to. The room looked to be around fifty square meters and around ten meters high. The bookshelves almost reached the ceiling, and they occupied two of the walls. A huge, three-paneled glass window took up the whole wall opposite the door. Stepping closer to the window, Yuriko saw that the two outer panels of the window were actually stained-glass windows, while the inner one was pure glass. _Probably so she can keep an eye on me from here…_she thought as she realized that she could see what was most likely the backyard.

She sighed as she made her way to one of the bookshelves. Running her fingers over the books, amethyst orbs scanned the different titles engraved on their spines, searching for one that sounded even remotely interesting. Soon she was curled up on one armchair, reading a rather old volume titled 'A Collection of Shakespeare'.

* * *

"Ah, Souchiro, I see you made it despite the foul weather." Miyuri said, glancing up from her pocketbook.

"Miyuri, though I'll admit I was surprised to receive a call from you – when you haven't contacted me for nearly ten years – I would never turn down an invitation from you." His voice dropped to a whisper. "_Especially not when it concerns a power merge._"

"Well, I'm glad to see that you had a safe trip," the gray-haired woman said as she put down her reading glasses and stood up to face her companion. "Did you bring your grandson?"

"Yes, I did. He is upstairs in the guestroom you had prepared for him, no doubt unpacking." Souchiro smiled proudly. "That is the first thing he does every time he has to stay somewhere aside from the mansion. He's very responsible."

"You've taught him well," Miyuri complimented. "Won't you sit down?" She herself sat back down on the plush armchair she had previously been sitting on and gestured to a similar chair positioned directly across from hers. "These ghastly servants of mine started dinner preparations rather late, I'm afraid."

"Not to worry," the elder Hiwatari assured her as he sat down. "I don't mind the wait. Besides," the gray-haired old man gave a small smile, but it wasn't a pleasant one. "It will give us a chance to discuss the terms of our…agreement."

Miyuri smiled back, deep blue eyes twinkling. "Of course. Now, where shall we start?"

* * *

_This is so boring!_ Kai thought as he lay down on his bed. He and his grandfather had arrived at this mountaintop chateau around fifteen minutes earlier. Two servants, who had probably been instructed to await their arrival, brought up their luggage as soon as it was unloaded from the trunk. After that, one of them had shown him to what was to be his room for the duration of their stay, while the other led his guardian to another part of the house. _I_ _wonder what 'surprise' Grandfather has in store for me this time? _

He got up from the bed and made his way over to the window. It was still pouring. He sighed. _Some holiday…_

His crimson gaze traveled to a door that apparently led to a bathroom. He sighed again and went over to the mahogany closet to get some spare clothes. _Might as well take a bath, since dinner is obviously delayed…_

* * *

A/N: Oookaaay...that was...rather short, I can tell. _Gomen_ if you were caught hanging. I couldn't think what to write anymore! Ah, well...those are the breaks. R&R, please!

Peace out!


	2. Chapter 1: Arranged Marriages

A/N: Hi, guys! I'd like to apologize if I took soooo long to update. Many thanks to my li'l sis for sending me the original files - which were corrupted in the disk I used when I left home and tried to upload it on my new(but old) PC.

Mei: Enjoy, guys!

Disclaimer - Aki: (sigh) Once again, Hikari doesn't own Beyblade and the other anime that may appear in this fic. She owns only the OC...

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 1: Arranged Marriages **

"Ryuko!" Miyuri called. Immediately, the young servant girl hurried over and bowed.

"_Hai_?"

"_Yuriko-san wa doko ka._" The sapphire-eyed woman asked. Her tone wasn't harsh; nonetheless, the young girl trembled inwardly. She hadn't gotten used to working for this rich matriarch.

"Takenoichi-sama is in the upstairs library, ma'am." Ryuko answered, her voice small, but clear. "She asked that she be excused from dinner and has instead sent for a dinner tray."

"I see." Miyuri turned back to her visitor. "Forgive me if I am unable to introduce my granddaughter, Yuriko." She said, giving a grim smile. "As you have heard from Ryuko here, she is quite an avid reader; many times before I've had to practically tear her away from the book she was reading. Also, many times she has told me of her dreams of becoming a writer or an artist of sorts."

"Then you are in luck, Miyuri." Souchirou smiled back. He took a sip from his water glass and put it back down on the wooden coffee table in front of him. "Not many teens nowadays prefer books – and other intellectual pastimes – to television, video games, and all those other nonsensical things the youth concern themselves with."

"True." The gray-haired woman nodded, a smile of satisfaction on her face. She sat back down. "Now, please, let's turn the conversation away from my family. What of you and your grandson?"

The elderly Hiwatari sat back in his chair. "Ah, yes, Kai…As I've mentioned before, he's a very responsible teen for his age. However, he's rather inclined to playing that blasted game with spinning tops – Beyblade, I think it's called."

"Oh, I think I've heard of that somewhere." Miyuri said as she put down _her_ water glass. "Yuriko has mentioned it once or twice sometime before, but only in passing. I've heard that the reigning world championship team is from Japan, correct?"

Souchirou nodded. "Kai is on that team; he's the team captain, in fact."

"Then the Hiwatari name must be _very_ famous by now."

"Yes, though I'd much rather he'd learn the proper etiquette and the skills required to run a corporation such as ours."

"Well, he's still a teenager; you shouldn't worry so much." Miyuri said reassuringly. "He's young, easy to teach-"

"But very stubborn mind you."

"Oh."

The pair fell silent, having run out of topics of conversation. Just then, a manservant appeared in the doorway.

"Dinner is ready, Takenoichi-sama, Hiwatari-sama."

* * *

Yuriko looked up as she heard the rapping sound on the library doors. Sighing irritably, she carefully put down the book she'd been reading – she was already halfway through with _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ – and went over to unlock the door. She peeked out.

In the hallway stood Ryuko, and she carried a large tray with several covered dishes, chopsticks and a small soup spoon, and a cup of what smelled like jasmine tea on it.

"_Domo arigatou gozaimasu, _Ryuko." Yuriko said as she accepted the tray. She inclined her head slightly, since performing a proper bow would jeopardize the contents of the tray.

Ryuko, too, bowed. "_Do itashimashita,_ Takenoichi-sama," she replied, smiling. Then, without another word, she walked away.

Slowly, the auburn-haired teen closed the door, and then walked back to her armchair. She set the tray down carefully on the mahogany reading desk and moved the armchair closer to it.

As soon as she was seated once more, she moved to uncover the dishes. _A three-course meal_…she thought as she saw the contents. There was _miso_ soup, a bowl of rice and several deep-fried seafood rolls. On a small plate beside that was a serving of shrimp tempura, and – to Yuriko's surprise and delight – her personal favorite, pickled plums.

After taking a sip of the tea – jasmine, as she had first guessed – Yuriko flipped open the thick tome and resumed reading, pausing once in a while to spoon in some soup or take a bite of viand and rice.

Outside, the rain had reduced to a mere drizzle.

* * *

"May I present the young master Hiwatari?" a tuxedo-clad manservant said. Both Souchirou and Miyuri looked up to see Kai standing in the doorway, next to the manservant who had spoken. Miyuri nodded, an indication that Kai was to be seated; the servant immediately led the slate-haired teen to a seat on the left of the matriarch and directly across from the teen's grandfather.

As soon as Kai sat down, he made the mistake of looking at his guardian; Souchirou did _not_ look happy that the minor hadn't come to dinner earlier, as expected.

Miyuri sensed the tension between the two, and so decided to try to break it. She wiped her hands delicately on her napkin and cleared her throat discreetly. Souchiro caught on quick.

"Miyuri," he began, putting down his chopsticks, "if I may…this is Kai, my grandson."

The sapphire-eyed woman smiled grandly at the crimson-eyed teen. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Kai."

"A pleasure, ma'am…" Kai said quietly, forcing himself – unsuccessfully – to smile.

"I'm glad that you could join us, Kai," the graying female said. She offered him a bowl. "_Miso_ soup?"

"_Hai_." Kai replied. Miyuri took the bowl and ladled in several spoonfuls of it into the small bowl beside his plate; she then placed the serving bowl back on the table. This was followed by a serving from each of the dishes on the table before them.

"_Itadakimasu_." Kai said before picking up his soupspoon and taking in small, polite spoonfuls of the steaming broth.

"Now, Miyuri, as I was saying before we were interrupted…"

At the sound of his grandfather's voice, Kai tuned out; he went about his actions rather mechanically, not that one of the grown-ups would have noticed. After ten minutes, he was finished.

"May I be excused?" he asked, putting down his chopsticks.

"Oh!" Miyuri turned to him. "Have you finished already, Kai?" The crimson-eyed teen nodded. "Well, then, of _course_ you may go."

"_Arigatou_." Kai gave a curt nod, and then turned and left.

He hurried upstairs to his room.

_Finally!_ He thought, heaving a big sigh of relief as he shut the door. _That was getting too boring for words…_

He glanced about his room and spotted the big window seat; he went over to it and sat down. He gazed out of the crystalline glass, watching the tears falling from the sky.

* * *

"Wow." Yuriko said as she closed the book she'd been reading. "Never thought Shakespearean English could be so…flowery. I guess that's what comes of reading the modern andabridged version..." she muttered to herself. On the table were the remnants of her dinner.

The amethyst-eyed teen stood up and stretched the kinks out of her back. She then picked up the tray. _Might as well bring it downstairs; I've nothing better to do anyway…_she thought as she made her way to the door and out into the hallway. From downstairs came the sounds of silverware, meaning her grandmother – and whomever she had invited – was still eating; she decided to take the rear staircase, so as not to disturb her elder.

Presently she set foot in the vast kitchen. Seeing no servants around, she tiptoed quietly to the marble-topped counter and set the tray down. Afterwards, she crept back to the staircase and went back upstairs.

Once she reached the second floor, she turned right and walked down the hallway until she came to another, smaller staircase; this was the one she wanted. She began to mount the stairs, humming a little song to herself. Soon there were no more stairs to climb, and she found herself facing a familiar door: the one that led to her room. Each time she and her grandmother had used this house, she had had the same room.

She swung open the door, and then closed it behind her. Frankly, she was getting fond of said room; it had wall-to-wall carpeting, a huge window seat, a bookshelf with copies of her favorite books, a wooden artist's desk where she could work on her comic book or another drawing project, a small table where she kept her art materials, and its own bathroom. Also, the bed was nothing short of extravagant; it was a four-poster with crimson hangings, several black and silver throw pillows, and its sheets were a less striking shade of crimson. She couldn't care less what the bed was like, but she had to admit it made for a cozy night's sleep.

She inspected the wooden desk beside the artist's desk. _Those maids…_she thought, shaking her head good-naturedly. _They've already unpacked everything…_In the topmost drawer lay her favorite medium: colored pencils. That usually meant that everything else she'd brought had already been put away in their 'proper' place.

She pulled the swivel chair over to her and took out a clean sheet of paper and her pencils. She'd just gotten an idea for a new drawing, and she wanted to get down the basic idea on paper before it disappeared from her mind. She'd wanted a bath a few minutes earlier, but now decided that it could wait.

She picked up her drawing pencil and started to sketch. Outside her window, the rain continued to fall, creating a dreary little tune on the windowpanes.

* * *

"Takenoichi-sama, it's time for you to get up…" a soft, hesitant voice invaded her imageless dreams. Yuriko groaned and burrowed her head into her pillow. Again the voice pierced the silence that followed."Takenoichi-sama, your grandmother requested that I wake you up now; she wants to see you." The voice was more insistent now, almost begging her to wake up.

Yuriko did. She blinked twice as bright light surged into her pupils, temporarily blinding her. "Ryuko-san?" she said, uncertain.

The young maid nodded, smiling. "_Yogatta_. You're finally awake. Your grandmother sent me to wake you ten minutes earlier."

"Sorry about that," the auburn-haired teen said, smiling apologetically. "It's just that I was up late last night, working on a drawing. I hope you don't get in trouble on my account."

Ryuko said nothing, but she did smile and bow before she left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Yuriko swung her feet out of bed and onto the warm, carpeted floor. She glanced around the room and saw that an outfit had already been laid out for her. She smiled. Her grandmother had been responsible for picking it out.

She hurried to the bathroom, and a moment later, the sounds of rushing water could be heard.

After around fifteen minutes, the amethyst-eyed teen stepped out of the bath. She looked herself over in the full-length mirror. She was dressed in a white short –sleeved shirt, a light gray cropped jacket which she wore fully buttoned, a gunmetal-gray skirt with the hem two inches above her knees and black and white striped tights. She knew just what would set the outfit to perfection.

She walked over to the small shoe rack beside the door and put on her chunky lace-up boots. Then she went back to her dresser and tied a midnight blue satin ribbon around her head to serve as a headband. She looked herself over once more and smiled. She was ready.

* * *

"Now, Kai, remember, you are going to be meeting someone important today, so please be on your best behavior." Souchirou said. His grandson didn't meet his overbearing gaze.

"Whatever…" Kai said, sounding bored. And indeed he was. Besides, who could be more important than the Takenoichi person they had dined with? Kai guessed that the old woman was an influential figure in the community, just like his grandfather, but that didn't concern him in slightest. Did it?

"_Ohayou gozaimasu_, Souchirou-san." A familiar voice broke the silence that descended upon the living room. Kai looked up and sighed. He was right; the Takenoichi woman was here. He groaned inwardly.

_If this is going to be some business talk…_

"Ah, _ohayou, _Miyuri-san." Souchirou stood up as the graying woman entered the room. Out of sheer obligation, Kai stood up, too.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting _too_ long," Miyuri said, looking concerned. Souchirou shook his head.

"Oh, it's no trouble, Miyuri," he returned, the corners of his coal-black eyes crinkling with a rare smile. "We just got here, in fact."

"I see." The sapphire-eyed woman cracked a small smile as she took in Kai's outfit, which consisted of a long-sleeved black shirt and baggy camouflage pants. On his feet were his usual black-and-red trainers. "Well, your grandson certainly has an…interesting taste in clothes," she commented, "Not unlike-"

"_Sumimasen._" A very quiet, and shy-sounding voice interrupted from the threshold. Kai tilted his head in order to see beyond the elderly matriarch. One slate-gray eyebrow shot up.

_What in the name of-?_

In the doorway stood a girl who looked to be about his age. She had intense purple eyes and wavy, auburn hair, and she was wearing a monochrome outfit that set her pale skin to perfection. He guessed that this girl was someone's granddaughter – probably his grandfather's old business partner's granddaughter.

He frowned. If that was true, then what did he and the girl have to do with anything?

"You wanted to see me, _Obaasan_?" she asked in that quiet voice. Kai noted that she didn't enter the room yet; probably what she had been taught to do.

The slate-haired teen scrutinized her carefully. She looked _and_ sounded rather withdrawn at first, but there was a tone in her voice that told subtly of the willful and independent soul within. Kai guessed that she was 'shy and obedient' only around her grandmother, a theory that seemed supported by her original outfit and the fire that blazed quietly behind her amethyst pools.

"Ah, yes, Yuriko." Miyuri turned and approached her granddaughter, smiling grandly. "I sent for you a few minutes earlier, hadn't I?" The auburn-haired teen nodded. "Well, at least you had the _decency_ to join us this morning." Miyuri turned again and joined Souchirou and Kai; Yuriko followed meekly behind.

"Miyuri, this would be your granddaughter, I presume?" Souchirou asked, referring to the amethyst-eyed teen. Miyuri nodded, smiling.

"I see no introductions are necessary, then, but just for formalities' sake." The gray-haired woman took a deep breath and then stepped to one side. "Souchirou, Kai, I'd like you to meet Yuriko."

Souchirou performed a formal bow, while Kai only inclined his head slightly. Miyuri turned back to her charge.

"Yuriko, this is Hiwatari Souchirou, CEO of Hiwatari Enterprises, and this-" here she gestured towards Kai, "is his grandson, Kai."

"Pleased to meet you, Hiwatari Souchirou-sama, Hiwatari Kai-san," she said, her voice soft. She bent forward in a proper bow, something the elder Hiwatari had to smile at.

"I can see that what your grandmother told me about you is true," he said. He'd meant it as a compliment. Once more Yuriko bowed.

"_Arigatou gozaimasu_," she said, not meeting his gaze. "Your words bring me joy, knowing that my grandmother's training has not gone to waste."

"Indeed it hasn't," Souchirou continued, apparently pleased by her attitude. "You ought to teach my grandson better manners among company."

Another bow. It was getting to be a habit – a tiring one. "I shall try my best, but if he is too stubborn, then I am afraid I will have no effect."

Kai grinned inwardly at her determination. How long could she keep up an act such as this? Certainly she was dying to get away from all this formality…wasn't she?

Miyuri cleared her throat. "Shall we proceed to the garden?" she offered. "It's getting rather stuffy inside, and it might get more than a little uncomfortable later on…"

"Of course," Souchirou replied.

"This way, please…"

After a few moments, the foursome were out in the spacious and tastefully arranged rear garden – the one Yuriko saw from the window in the library. They were seated in the shade, on carved stone chairs arranged in a circle, with a carved stone table in the middle.

"Now, to business…" Souchirou began.

"I agree." The graying woman turned to her granddaughter. "Yuriko, you understand what a business merger is?"

The amethyst-eyed teen met her grandmother's gaze. "You know very well that I do, _Obaasan_, but one wonders, what has a business merger to do with one such as I?"

Souchirou laughed out loud. "Such a young teenager, yet she speaks as one born in the old times. Your granddaughter is very interesting, and certainly delightful, Miyuri!" The sapphire-eyed woman only smiled a small smile, while the elder Hiwatari turned to Yuriko. "You will forgive me for laughing, won't you, Yuriko-_san_?"

The auburn-haired teen bowed slightly. "Of course, Hiwatari-_sama_, if you will forgive me for asking why you laughed?"

Kai rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. _Perhaps I was mistaken…she hasn't talked out of turn, and she's…_too_ polite…but there _may_ be something more…_he thought, the last part an amendment to the first.

"I'm afraid I haven't met many teens – perhaps there aren't any – who speak the way you do with your grandmother and me. What I mean to say is: being brought up in the 'old ways' is very rare in your generation."

Yuriko smiled. "I see…"

Souchirou turned to his old business partner. "Since she has asked so politely, perhaps you should explain to her the terms of our business merger."

Kai sat up straighter. "_Chotto matte…Ojiisama_, you planned a business merger?"

The elder Hiwatari glared at his grandson. "Kai, you know perfectly well that you're not to speak out of turn, yet-"

"It's all right, Souchirou," Miyuri interrupted, smiling kindly. "Surely he's grown used to your company as a sole proprietorship; I can understand his surprise."

Kai closed his eyes and tried to calm himself enough to deal with his elder in a more…pleasing manner. "I…apologize, _Ojiisama_, for my rudeness. Takenoichi-sama was correct; I'm rather shocked that you agreed to a business merger. Why so suddenly?"

Souchirou nodded in approval of the crimson-eyed teen's imposed self-control. He leaned back in his chair. "Well, Kai, Miyuri and I have been tracking each other's success in our respective businesses, and so far, we've matched each other in every aspect: stock holdings, earnings, estimated stock value, etc., therefore…"

"What your grandfather means to say, dear," Miyuri added, "is that – Yuriko, you need to listen, too – since the two separate companies have been so successful as sole proprietorships, then it should follow that they will be even _more_ successful as a partnership, don't you think?"

Yuriko nodded thoughtfully, wavy auburn hair bobbing slightly. "That…sounds right. Please, _Obaasan_, won't you continue?"

"So…Souchirou and I agreed to a merger, which will become effective two-and-a-half months from now, a week after the two of you are married."

"I see-" Yuriko began, and then her eyes widened. "_Obaasan_, did you say…_married_?"

The elder Takenoichi nodded, her smile suddenly becoming sickly sweet. "Yes, I did."

"But…but…" The amethyst-eyed teen stood up quickly and half-glared at her elder. "Grandmother, you know I _despise_ arranged marriages!"

Kai's eyes widened slightly, shocked by the girl's outburst – her first since he met her. Maybe he was right about her after all…?

"Yuriko-"

"I won't do it!" The now-irate teen said, a tone of finality in her voice. She stood for several more moments, shaking with silent anger; then, without another word, she spun on her heel and stalked off.

Miyuri stared after her granddaughter, shocked into silence. And then Souchirou cleared his throat.

"Well, that was certainly…surprising…" he commented, attempting to make light of the incident.

"I apologize for Yuriko's reaction," Miyuri said. She quickly rose and made a small bow. "If you will excuse me, I'll go talk some sense into her." So saying, the graying woman followed the path the younger Takenoichi had taken; only Kai and his grandfather were left at the small garden set.

"Grandfather, if you'll excuse me…" Kai said as he got up, ready to leave and return to his room. He wanted to retrieve his beyblade and get some training in, in spite of the fact that there were no tournaments coming up.

"No!" Souchirou immediately replied. "Sit down; we will wait for Miyuri to return."

"_Boku wa_ _Yuriko-san o sagashite,_" Kai returned curtly, turning his back to his elder. Before Souchirou could say anything, Kai had stridden up the garden path and back into the chateau.

* * *

_Of all the nerve-!_ Yuriko thought savagely as she pounded up the steps to her room. _An _arranged marriage, _of all things!_

In her anger, she fairly threw open the door, stalked into her room, and slammed the door behind her. She hastily grabbed a pencil and a clean sheet of paper. She laid these out on the artist's desk before walking over to her backpack – she'd left it alone the night before – and retrieving her CD player. She slid in her favorite – Evanescence's _Anywhere But Home_, the band's latest – and pressed _Play, _and then _Shuffle_ before sticking the headset into her ears. Soon, she lost herself in the gothic rock that Amy Lee was so famous for.

_All of my hate cannot be found…_

_I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming…_

That particular song, _Thoughtless_, Yuriko knew, was only a cover; the original had been written and sung by another band, Korn. Soon, though, found herself humming along to the song as she allowed her hand to fly across the page; she didn't really care what she drew just now, as long she drew. She did it only to make herself forget the stunning and infuriating news she'd just received.

True, she loved her grandmother, but the way the old woman took control of her life – just like she did a few minutes ago – was getting on the amethyst-eyed teen's nerves. She regretted the fact that she was only sixteen and a minor.

_No…you can try to break me down…_

_Beat me to the ground; I will see you screaming…_

Sometimes, Yuriko admitted, she felt like screaming at her elder; she felt stifled by all the rules and regulations her grandmother had set upon her. Also, more often than not, Miyuri belittled her achievements, telling her that she could do more. Yuriko hadn't rebelled, but took it out on the spare canvas in the attic, where she did most of her painting back in Tokyo.

_I linger in the doorway_

_Of alarm clock, screaming monsters calling my name…_

Yuriko stopped sketching for a while to glance at what she had drawn. It looked to be the outline of a person – a very rough outline. She frowned. This…person she had just sketched…was it…Hiwatari Kai, the boy she had met downstairs?

She shrugged. It didn't mean anything; whenever she let herself 'free-draw' like this, the results had always been unexpected. She leaned over the paper once more.

_Let me stay where the wind will whisper to me…_

_Where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story…_

_In my field of paper flowers and candy clouds of lullaby…_

_I lie inside myself for hours and let my purple sky fly over me…

* * *

_

Kai paused in front of a narrow flight of stairs. _Why is this here?_ he wondered, gazing up its length. Did it lead to an attic, perhaps?

The slate-haired teen shrugged as he remembered what he'd told his grandfather back in the garden, that he'd look for Takenoichi Yuriko. He'd have much rather gone straight to his room, and yet something compelled him to look for the auburn-haired teen. She'd aroused a curiosity in him, and it baffled him. Girls had never made him look twice, and he generally left them alone. This one was different; he could feel it, but couldn't explain it.

Sighing, he began to mount the stairs. There wasn't much light, even though it was daytime, and he stubbed his toe on one of the stairs. Holding on to the banister for support, he reached down and rubbed it, grumbling. Then, something drew his gaze upward. His eyes widened; he hadn't realized he was so near the landing already. From where he was standing, he could see just the top of a light brown mahogany door. Perhaps _this_ was the door he was looking for: the door to Yuriko's room.

He quickened his pace and was soon at the top. He approached the mahogany panel, noting the stenciled design on the left-hand side; it looked to be a tribal design from another country. He nodded. His grandfather had been right; Yuriko was very interesting, indeed.

He reached for the doorknob.

* * *

"It looks a little bit like him…" Yuriko murmured, holding the paper up in order to examine the drawing. She turned off the CD player a few moments earlier, just as she was going into the final details.

Suddenly, the doorknob rattled; a split second later, the door swung open.

Yuriko stood up, indignant, and walked over to the door. Inwardly she scolded herself for forgetting to lock the door. She grabbed the other end and pulled, at the same time, saying, "How many times have I told you _not_ to disturb me when I-" she trailed off suddenly.

In front of her stood Hiwatari Kai, the last person – aside from her grandmother – she wanted to see. Her eyes narrowed, a reflex she was barely aware of.

"What are you doing here?"

* * *

A/N: Aaargh! I'm _so_ sorry for the brevity of this chapter, but it was essential if i wanted to keep the pacing I had planned out for this fic...

Mei: To those who keep coming back to read this, we have a treat for you...

Aki: Which is probably a once-in-a-blue-moon thing...

Mei: Shut up!

Me: Well, since I've pretty much finished the second and third chapters for this fic...Yup! I've also posted them! So go on, check it out! Peace out!


	3. Chapter 2: Secrets

A/N: Aaaaah! Omatase shimashita! Gomen...Sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long... Anyway, here's chapter 2!

Disclaimer: If I owned this anime series, would I be posting on this site?

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* * *

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**Chapter 2: Secrets**

"What are you doing here?" Yuriko asked, her voice low and monotone.

Kai frowned, rather taken aback by the drastic change in her personality but trying not to show it. Instead, he put on his usual, nonchalant face. "In case you were wondering, I left my grandfather in the garden soon after _you_ left; there was no other reason to stay there. I decided to go exploring and I found that staircase over there. I thought it would lead me to an attic, or something similar to it, but I was wrong."

For several moments, neither teen moved. Then Yuriko heaved a big sigh. "Whatever," she said as she moved to close the door. Kai however, had caught sight of something that interested him greatly – Yuriko's drawing. He reached out a hand and caught the door before it swung shut entirely.

"Hang on…" he said. "What…is…that?" he asked. Yuriko looked bewildered.

"Huh? What's what?"

Kai gestured with one hand to the single piece of paper on the artist's desk.

"It's none of your business, Hiwatari." Yuriko said forcefully when she realized he was referring to her drawing. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" Once more, she grabbed hold of the doorknob and swung the door closed. Kai removed his hand a split second before it became trapped between the door and its frame. The huge wooden panel swung shut with a loud thud.

Kai, heaving a sigh of relief, stepped back from the door. He remained in that position for a few more minutes, and then turned and made his way back downstairs.

* * *

Yuriko leaned back on her door, breathing deeply to control her anger. Did that Hiwatari think she'd actually _believed_ him? Of course not! More likely, her grandmother or that business partner of hers _told_ him to follow her. After all, not many people knew about the alcove containing the staircase leading up here. There _was_ a third floor to this chateau, but most people took the main staircase to get there.

She walked over to her desk and picked up the sketch. After gazing at it for a few minutes, she slid it into a folder, where she kept her unfinished works. Then, she walked over to her cabinet. She wanted to change out of the outfit she had on now; she was sure it wasn't going to be comfortable wearing the outfit, as she planned to spend the rest of the day in the garden.

Humming a song to herself, she pulled open the wardrobe door and began rifling through its contents.

* * *

"Grraaah!"

Kai let loose a cry as he pulled the ripcord of his launcher. His faithful beyblade, Dranzer, was a mere blur as it shot out and landed on the grass of the lawn. It spun silently but efficiently, just as it was supposed to. Kai narrowed his eyes and focused on his blade.

He stayed like that for several minutes, giving commands to the blade through the intimate connection he had with the bit beast. This was how things should be, he was thinking. He should be concentrating on his blading – though he knew no new tournaments had been announced – and working on honing his skills, just as he had the previous year. Never mind that he had just been engaged – against his will – to a girl he barely knew.

Instantly, Kai's brow furrowed and, fueled by its master's anger, the dark blue blade spun, with lightning speed, towards a gnarled old tree nearby. With a loud _whack _it collided with the mottled trunk, and with a groan, the tree fell onto the ground with a muffled thump. The few leaves that were still attached to it had gotten separated, and they twirled gracefully to the ground, as though dancing.

Kai held up a hand, a few inches to the side of his head, and obediently Dranzer spun back into his hand. _At least I haven't lost _that_ ability…_ Kai thought, satisfied that none of his skills had diminished. Admittedly, he hadn't been training as much as he was supposed to, which was why he worried whether he would have been out of practice; as it turns out, he wasn't. Smirking, he pocketed his launcher and ripcord, turned away from the fallen tree, and made his way back towards the house.

Suddenly, a slight sound caused him to stop in his tracks. He glanced backwards over his shoulder, but saw no one.

_It's just your imagination, Hiwatari…_ he thought. Shaking his head at himself, he continued on his way.

* * *

Yuriko was awestruck as she watched the crimson-eyed teen. Under the long-sleeves, she could see his well-defined muscles as he pulled on the ripcord; his voice, when he cried out with the effort of his launch, made her hair stand on end. When he felled the tree a few minutes later, as easily as one might swat a fly, her eyes widened. But by that time, his 'training' was over, for he retrieved his blade – rather, the blade spun back into his open palm – and turned away. "Wow…" she breathed.

Then, the slate-haired teen stopped and turned around. A sharp intake of breath, and Yuriko crawled backwards into a rather leafy bush. For several tense moments, she could hardly breathe as Kai scanned the area for the source of the noise. He must have decided that whatever had made the noise had gone, for he soon turned away again and continued towards the house.

Yuriko waited until she heard the door slam shut before crawling out of her hiding place; she heaved a sigh of relief. _Thank goodness…_

She reached back into the bush and retrieved a small, black notebook, a writing brush, and a small bottle of ink. Carrying these items carefully, she made her way over to a stone bench under a still-flowering cherry tree – her favorite spot (she'd claimed it a few years back), aside from the library. As soon as she reached it, she laid the things out on the bench. She looked down at her outfit – a gray tank over a red long-sleeved top, dark blue culottes, and black sneakers – and saw that it was covered with dust. She brushed herself off and sat down, leaning back against the sweet-smelling bark. She closed her eyes and began breathing, slowly and deeply, in order to relax herself and put herself into the right frame of mind.

Several minutes passed in this way until the amethyst orbs blinked open. Yuriko smiled a small smile as she reached for the brush and ink.

* * *

Kai took hold of the doorknob and slowly eased his door closed; he didn't want Souchirou to know he'd been training again. He leaned against the door, listening for the sound of footsteps, and, after a few minutes of hearing nothing but silence, he decided it was 'safe'. He heaved a sigh of relief. _No one noticed…Good…_

As he walked over to his cabinet, he withdrew his launcher from his pocket and placed it on the topmost shelf, pushing it in amongst the carefully folded towels and sheets. Then, from his other pocket, he took out Dranzer and replaced it in his special carrying case. After doing so, he placed the carrying case in a small drawer he'd found at the back of the cabinet – probably a long-forgotten secret compartment.

He was getting quite used to this particular guest room. The room itself was bigger than most that he'd seen, but not _too_ big, and the walls were a pleasing earthy beige. The bed, which was covered with blue and white sheets, was located in the center of the wall opposite the door, leaving an ample amount of space on both sides, and there was a woven afghan rug directly at the foot of it. The window occupied the east wall and overlooked the sector of the garden where he'd been training earlier. The door leading to the bathroom was situated in the western wall near the corner. The cabinet was placed near this door, and on the opposite side, almost directly to the right of the window, was a desk, where Kai kept his journal and other knick-knacks. All in all, it was a rather cozy room.

The slate-haired teen walked over to the window and gazed out of it. Almost immediately, he started. Yuriko, wearing an entirely different outfit from the one he'd seen her in, was out in the garden, several feet away from where he'd been training, the only thing separating the two areas a rather large and leafy bush. From her posture it was rather apparent that she'd been there for quite some time now.

_And here I thought she'd remained up in her room…_ Kai thought, smirking. He was sure that she'd made the sound he'd heard earlier, yet he hadn't seen her. There was definitely more to this Takenoichi than he'd originally thought.

* * *

Yuriko leaned back against the tree trunk and brought her notebook up to eye level. Her eyes danced quickly across the pages as she read the finished poem to herself.

_The wind whistles through the leaves,_

_Soft…_

_Gentle…_

_Alluring…_

_The stream continues on its course,_

_Bubbling…_

_Trickling…_

_Murmuring…_

_The trees sway gently in the breeze,_

_Tapping…_

_Dancing…_

_Enticing…_

_The fire burns steadily,_

_Humming…_

_Leaping…_

_Rejoicing…_

_The four elements combined,_

_Perfect…_

_Harmonious…_

_My melody… _

Yuriko smiled as she finished. She'd no idea what inspired her to write such a poem, but she was glad she did. It had been a long time since she wrote in free verse, and she was pleased with the results.

Suddenly, she felt the hair at the back of her neck bristling. She quickly stood up and whirled around, readying herself for anything that would reveal itself to her; to her surprise and bewilderment, there was not a soul in sight.

_But…I _felt_ someone there!_ Yuriko thought. _I felt a presence, so something_ should_ be there…_

Taking deep breaths to steady her erratic heartbeat, she closed her eyes and tried to focus, willing herself to calm down so her sensed might pick up on anyone in the garden aside from her; she encountered no one.

The auburn-haired girl glanced quickly about herself, as though to reassure herself that there truly _was_ no one in the garden but her; at the same time, she was trying to fight back the panic rising within her, to no avail. She picked up her notebook, brush, and ink, and hurriedly fled the garden, which had, to her, suddenly become a rather foreboding place.

Several minutes passed after the front door slammed shut, yet Kai didn't move from his spot; he watched the garden intently. He'd seen Yuriko's reaction when she – apparently – had heard something behind her, for she'd turned around and had quickly gone into what he knew to be a battle-ready stance. And then he'd seen the panicked look on the young teen's face when she rushed out of the garden and was somewhat intrigued.

Suddenly, near the cherry tree, several bushes moved, yet the movement was too strong to have been made by a breeze alone. A split second later, the leaves on a rather old pine tree a few feet away _also_ rustled. And then, two men – evident from the body shape – seemingly materialized out of nowhere on a clear patch of grass, not too far from where Yuriko had been staying.

Kai's eyes narrowed, noting the clothing they wore – the loose, flowing garb of a _ninja_, the feared assassins of feudal times. A split second later, he whipped around and was out the door like a shot.

* * *

"It's too bad she sensed _you_, though…"

The man who'd been hiding in the bush chuckled darkly. "Yes, how very unfortunate…" he said, his voice rather amused.

"You…are not disappointed?" His companion sounded surprised at his partner's surprisingly light reaction. "Or don't you realize that we've failed?"

"Of _course_ I realize that, Eiji…" His eyes lit up, indicating that he was smirking under his mask. "Now I know that her abilities are far greater than we anticipated, which will make it all the more pleasurable when we finally destroy her."

The one called Eiji chuckled as his companion revealed this to him, and then he took hold of one edge of his long, black cloak; suddenly, as silently as they appeared, the two _ninjas_ were gone, leaving the garden quite empty.

All was quiet for quite a while, and then Kai emerged from a nearby bush. _So those two are after Takenoichi…_he thought, his eyes narrowing again. _That's one mystery solved – the girl is afraid of getting caught by these ninjas…_

The slate-haired teen turned and walked back to the house for the third time that day. _But that brings up _another_ mystery: why are they after her? She's just an ordinary girl… isn't she?_

* * *

"_Kowai yo…_" Yuriko muttered softly as she locked the door to her room. She clutched her chest, as though doing so would cease the incessant thudding of her heart. _Usually when I sense…those guys, I would immediately be able to see them, no matter how well they hid themselves…Why couldn't I see anyone in the garden?_ She asked of herself.

After a few moments, she calmed down. She quickly walked over to her cabinet and opened the door. She then fiddled with something inside and then stepped back as soon as she was done.

Suddenly, a section of oak paneling beside the wardrobe slid open, but Yuriko was expecting this; she picked up something from inside the wardrobe, slipped it into her pocket, and then stepped in front of the opening. Her eyes registered the stairs that seemingly spiraled into nothing; she stepped inside, and the panel instantly slid closed, enshrouding her in darkness.

Slowly, she descended the hidden staircase, her footsteps fading as she went deeper.

_

* * *

Click!_

Crimson orbs lit up at the sound. Kai grinned; learning these tricks when he was younger came in handy, he saw that now. Slowly, he eased the door open and carefully stepped beyond the threshold. He quickly closed the door behind him, turned…and stopped short.

The room was empty.

Quickly, he glanced around, looking for signs of a struggle. There were none.

_But how could she have left?_ He thought, absently walking over to the slanted desk and running his fingers over its smooth surface. _I asked the servants downstairs and they said nothing of Yuriko-san leaving the premises…_

He moved on to the first drawer, carefully sliding it open, stopping only to admire a drawing or two. Nothing.

He sighed. That girl was certainly secretive, not to mention confusing. Quickly he examined the rest of the drawers; there was nothing to indicate where she had gone, or why two ninja were after her.

Then he noticed that a cabinet door was slightly ajar. His curiosity having been piqued, he walked over to it and opened it wide. It was a typical teenage girl's wardrobe – dresses, skirts, all kinds of tops, and several accessories bundled in random small containers – but what interested him the most was that there was a black, full-length one-piece suit at the back, made of a stretchy material; it looked like something a dancer, particularly a ballerina would wear. However, Yuriko didn't look to be a dancer.

_So what would she do with such a piece of clothing?_ Kai reached out and touched it; the material flowed across his palm like water. _And it isn't an ordinary spandex-type cloth; its smoother and hugs the body closely, yet isn't as hot as other body suits like it…_

Then, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Camouflaged by the suit was a small lever hidden at the very back.

_And what's this?_

Using a finger, he flicked it, but nothing happened – at least, nothing he could perceive. Sighing in disappointment at having found nothing to explain the girl's strange behavior, Kai closed the wardrobe door, and then started. Without him knowing, a panel in the wooden wall had slid open, and inside was a spiral staircase.

"What on earth-?" Kai mumbled as he stood in front of the hidden door. He smirked. He didn't have anything better to do, and besides, why was he worrying about Yuriko so much? She certainly could handle herself. Shrugging, he began to descend the stairs, not even reacting when the door slid shut, leaving him trapped in the dark.

_Perhaps this won't be as boring as I first thought…_

After a few moments, Kai's eyes became accustomed to the darkness, and he could now make out faint shapes, mostly the rest of the staircase. However, he could see that the stairwell was a fairly small one – only one person at any one time could ascend or descend – and that the walls were made of stone.

Then, from somewhere beneath him, he could make out a faint clanging sound, and someone – a girl – shouting. His eyes narrowed, and he quickened his pace, taking care not to topple down the stairs.

Soon, the staircase ended, and he was standing on what seemed to be a dirt floor. There was a torch in the nearest wall, but he still couldn't see the source of the noise he had heard; he concluded that this passage was a tunnel, and began to start down it.

It was a fairly short tunnel – only several meters long – and it quickly opened into a small chamber, still lit by torches. There were no windows, but the air wasn't stifling and didn't smell as though it had been trapped for a long time, which meant there was a hidden vent somewhere. The floor, like the walls of the stairwell, was made of stone, as were the chamber walls.

Kai allowed his eyes to travel around every inch, and then, quite suddenly, he gave a small gasp of surprise.

There, in the center of the room, was Yuriko. She was clad in an outfit similar to the one he found hanging in her closet, and in front of her were several wooden dummies and upright logs. To the side were several puppets – most probably mechanical. The slate-haired teen guessed that the clanging sound had been made by something hitting these puppets; the surface of each had been scratched by what could have been a sharp object.

The younger Hiwatari turned his attention back to the auburn-haired teen. She seemed to be throwing something, but what? He quietly slipped through the half-open wooden doors and pressed flat against the wall, inching along quickly by silently; he stopped when he had better view. Once more, crimson orbs widened.

Kai could see that Yuriko was throwing small, dark gray circular objects at the various dummies and posts, each of which had several targets strapped to them. It wasn't so much the fact that the amethyst-eyed teen was engaging in target practice that was surprising; it was _what_ she was using for target practice: _shuriken_, one of the many weapons used by feudal-age ninjas.

"Darn! Now I'm out of _shuriken_!" Yuriko suddenly exclaimed. "Oh, well…it's not like I was _really_ fighting anyone; I'll just retrieve them before I leave…" With that, she reached into a small, black bag which dangled on her right hip – Kai hadn't seen it at first – and took out several black, short-handled dagger-like objects, quickly returning to a fighting stance when she had four in each hand.

_She uses _kunai_ as well? _Kai was perfectly confused now. What would the granddaughter of a powerful CEO be doing learning how to handle ninja weapons? He didn't move from his spot as he contemplated the possible reasons, all the while scrutinizing her every move.

_Impressive_…he thought vaguely as Yuriko did a couple of 'trick throws' – throwing a kunai at a difficult target from an almost impossible angle of attack – and even hit three or four 'bull's-eyes' with her eyes closed.

Yuriko let out a sigh and got out of her battle stance. Kai stiffened, and then began to move back towards the door. But then something made him stop and glance back at the young 'ninja-in-training', if that was what she really was. He frowned.

_What is she doing?_

The young Takenoichi was mumbling something to herself, at the same time performing complicated hand movements at rapid speed. Then, without warning, the floor started shaking, causing Kai to grab at one of the torch-holders for support. Almost as quickly, the floor beneath one of the dummies opened up, promptly toppling said dummy.

_Did she just…cause an earthquake? _Kai thought, awestruck.

The auburn-haired teen wasn't finished yet. She began to mumble again, performing a different set of hand movements, raising her arms up when she was through. Instantly, a small wave appeared from behind another dummy, smashing into it and leaving it a crumpled, soggy mess on the stone floor. This performance was quickly followed by more mumbling and three more sets of hand movements – these were actually called 'seals', Kai knew, though how and why Yuriko had come to learn them was still a mystery. The first set seemed to allow her to lift up one of the wooden logs and bring it crashing down on top of its neighbor, the second called lightning from out of nowhere and 'electrified' another, and the third set fire to the last of the giant logs.

Seeing this, Kai's eyes went wide. _She can…control all five elements! No wonder she has people chasing her!_

He stood there, pressed against the wall, when he suddenly remembered…

_Of all the-! I nearly forgot I'm not supposed to be here!_ He mentally slapped himself on the forehead for allowing such a mistake; he couldn't let Yuriko know that he knew her secret. As silently as he had entered, he exited the room and ran, light-footed, back through the passageway and up the stairs. Just as he was wondering how to open the secret panel, it slid open in front of him; he dashed through it and was out of the young teen's room in a flash, not realizing that the panel hadn't slid shut behind him.

_

* * *

That was a good workout… Yuriko thought slowly as she ascended the stairs. Suddenly, she stopped. It had already gotten considerably lighter in the stairwell, but she knew there were no lights inside. Her eyes narrowed, and she quickened her pace. When she was almost to the top, she saw the source of the light: the panel was open._

_What the-?_

She stopped and leaned against the wall. With one hand she tucked the towel she'd been holding into her belt – a black one to blend in with her outfit – and with the other she reached into the small bag she wore at her hip. Using her first two fingers, she brought out one of the smaller _kunai_ she brought with her. Taking a deep breath, she resumed mounting the stairs, this time at a run, at the same time bringing up her knife arm to attack anyone who might be waiting in ambush.

"Haaaaah!" she cried as she lunged out of the secret passageway and into her room, only stopping herself when she realized that no one was there.

"Eh?" She looked around, puzzled. She was so sure that someone was in the room with her, otherwise, why would the panel be open? _Was something taken?_ Quickly she went through her belongings; all were accounted for. Absentmindedly, she approached the panel and slid it shut.

Weird things have been happening lately…

* * *

A/N: Well, this is where I end for now, guys...I know it's kind of short, but I was out of ideas! I had to cut here so that the pacing I'd planned for the next chapter wouldn't be ruined! Anyway, Let me know what you think: why does Yuriko use ninja weapons?

Dewa matta! Peace out and God bless!


	4. Chapter 3: Meeting

A/N: Like I said, a treat for you guys! See? It's the third chapter already!

Mei: Wheee! To all those who've stuck with us this far - you know who you are! - _domo arigatou gozaimasu_!

Disclaimer: ...I don't think so...

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**Chapter 3: Meeting **

"Kai."

Kai looked up from the book he was reading. "What is it,_ Ojiisama_?" he inquired, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice.

Souchirou put down his newspaper – the business section, as usual – and stood up to approach his charge.

"We'll be going home in a few days. However, that doesn't mean that you and Yuriko-san won't be seeing each other anymore."

"But, if we're leaving-"

"Allow me to finish. Kai, I've arranged for Yuriko to stay with us while her grandmother goes on another trip, one connected with the planned merger."

Kai's eyes widened. "_Nani_! You arranged for _her_ to stay with us?"

"It's the only way you two can get to know each other better."

"You expect me to attend to her and show her around?"

The gray-haired Hiwatari shook his head in amusement. "Kai, have you forgotten? Yuriko-san lives in Tokyo, just as we do; she doesn't need a tour guide. However, I _would _like for you to introduce her to those…err, teammates of yours. That way, they'll get used to the idea of you being with a girl."

"I was never _with _her in the first place!" Kai retorted, crossing his arms. "Both you and Takenoichi-sama _forced_ us together."

"I do this for the good of the family business, Kai." Souchirou stood up, towering over his grandson. "I can see that you've made no room in your life for relationships-"

"I don't see why I should. I mean, you broke off the only _real_ relationship I've ever had – the one I had with Dad."

"Enough."

Kai stopped and glanced up at his elder; Souchirou's eyes had narrowed, and he was glaring down at him. Apparently, he didn't like being reminded of what he had had to do years ago, when Kai was only nine or ten.

"You _will_ do as I say, Kai." The elderly Hiwatari's voice had hardened, an indication that the slate-haired teen was not to take him lightly. "This is not a request."

"_Hai._" Kai replied sullenly. He went over to the chair he'd been sitting in, snatched up his book, and stalked off upstairs.

* * *

"_Nani_?" Yuriko fairly shot upright in her chair when she heard the news. "I'm to stay with Hiwatari-sama and Kai-san? _Dakara…doushite isshou ni ikimasen_?"

Miyuri Takenoichi sighed, stood up, and went over to her granddaughter. "Yuriko, I can't keep leaving you in the company of servants; you need to be with other people your age, like Kai. Souchirou told me that Kai is quite willing to introduce you to his circle of friends."

"That's not the point!" Yuriko shot back, wrenching away from her grandmother's hand. "I believe I'm old enough to accompany you; I _am_ sixteen, after all."

"It's already been decided, Yuriko-"

"Without at least consulting me?"

"I – we thought it could be…a surprise."

"Gee, thanks, Grandmother. I'm touched." Yuriko finished with a huff and sat back down, crossing her arms over her chest.

Miyuri frowned and glared down at the auburn-haired teen. "Yuriko, don't be difficult at a time like this! And that behavior! How childish! I expected more from you!"

"Well, don't you think you're expecting _too much_ from me?" Yuriko retorted, looking her grandmother fiercely in the eye. "At least my trainers don't push me so hard! At least _they_ understand!"

"Do _not_ remind me about your-"

"My past? My abilities? My family?" Yuriko rolled her eyes. "Why? Does it make you feel…inadequate, somehow?"

The elder's blue eyes became icy, and she narrowed them at her charge. "I warned you not to speak to me that way…"

"So do whatever you want to me as punishment. It doesn't make a difference to me." Yuriko turned away and made for the door. "I'll be in my room if you want anything." She said curtly.

And she was gone.

Miyuri sank back into her chair, shaking her head. "That child…"

* * *

"I'm glad you decided to join us after all, Yuriko." Souchirou said, gazing warmly at the sixteen-year-old.

"Thank you for allowing me to stay with you, Hiwatari-_sama_." Yuriko replied, smiling.

It was a week-and-a-half after both teens were informed of the 'circumstances', and they were now more or less used to the idea.

"Don't worry about a thing, Yuriko," Souchirou was saying, reaching for his laptop. "While you're with us, just think of our house as yours, and feel free to use the facilities as you wish."

Yuriko inclined her head slightly, since she could not execute a proper bow. "_Domo arigatou gozaimasu_, Hiwatari_-sama_."

The rest of the trip back to Tokyo – around two hours – passed in silence. Yuriko had fallen to 'free sketching' along the way, but had quickly gotten bored. For the purple-eyed teen, it seemed that she had just dropped off to sleep when someone shook her gently awake. "Yuriko-san, we're here."

Amethyst orbs snapped open to behold crimson, and the auburn-haired teen sprang back in her seat.

"K-Kai-san!" she said, forcing herself not to blush at how close their faces had been; it wasn't that she liked him, just that she had never been _that_ close to a boy her age before. "What is it?"

"We've arrived." Kai repeated himself, glancing at the sketchpad she held in her hands. Yuriko quickly noticed and closed it abruptly; she knew she was good, but still felt wary of sharing her works with anyone save her grandmother.

"So you like sketching." Kai said, trying to break the ice, under orders from his grandfather. He reached into the open trunk, brought out a duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. He then reached back inside and brought out a dark gray suitcase and small, black duffle bag. "These must be yours." He said simply, handing the duffel bag to the girl and keeping the suitcase for him to carry.

"Thank you," Yuriko said as she accepted the bag and slung it over her own shoulder. "And, yes, you're right, I _do_ enjoy sketching every now and then. It helps to ease any tension one might be feeling, and it's also a great way to express oneself."

"_Sou desu ka_…" Kai said, still unsure of what to say. He stared off at the mansion he called 'home', gazing absently into the still-vacant windows on the upper floors. The usual thoughts entered his mind – that the mansion always seemed so cold and threatening whenever he returned from a trip, either by himself or with his elder, and that it was far too big for only two people and several servants to live in.

"_Anou…_" Yuriko began. She felt uncomfortable being left alone with the stoic, slate-haired teen, especially when it was _this_ quiet. "I heard that you, um…were captain of the blading team for Japan."

"I still am."

"So…are there any tournaments coming up?"

Kai shook his head. "None at the moment, but we meet regularly to train together, purely for improvement."

"Oh." The amethyst-eyed girl stared down at her shoes as they alternately slapped the pavement. "Well, I…I _would_ like to see one of these…'training sessions' of yours. May I…may I come along?"

Kai looked down at her for a split-second before taking a deep breath and then replying. "Well, I _am_ already under orders from Grandfather to keep you company – your grandmother told me that you're not exactly the sociable type and prefer small groups."

"I…see…"

"So, I have no choice but to take you with me. They _do_ have a right to get to know my fiancé."

Yuriko looked up, startled. "Wha-?" she began, and then she glanced back down again as she remembered. "Oh, yeah…_that_."

Once more, the pair fell to silence as they walked the rest of the distance to mansion.

"Ah, Miss Takenoichi." A rather tall, graying manservant greeted as both teens crossed the threshold into the receiving room. "I was simply instructed to escort you to your room." Here he bent slightly and took the suitcase from Kai – apparently, he knew which luggage was whose – and then turned around quite stiffly. "This way, please." With that, he started walking down the hall. Yuriko could do nothing but hurry after him, otherwise, she was sure she'd get lost in the various hallways within the Hiwatari mansion.

Kai gazed after the pair of retreating backs for several more minutes, his mind still on what he had discovered at the chateau; finally, he, too, started off down the hall until he came to the massive central staircase that led to the second floor; his room was located there, as was the library, the master bedroom, and his grandfather's study. The guest rooms were on the third floor.

Kai sighed as he began to mount the stairs. He knew that tomorrow, he and Team BBA would be meeting at their usual venue – the Kinomiya dojo – and that, deep inside, he'd much rather leave Yuriko to her own devices. He didn't want to be seen bringing a member of the opposite sex, much less introduce her to his teammates as his fiancé. But he'd given his word, and he had to follow through.

* * *

"Darn…" Kai muttered as he threw off the covers almost irritably. Sunlight was streaming through the now-open curtains of his bedroom. Last night had been pretty quiet – not much of a difference from when it was only him and his grandfather, and he'd spent a better part of the evening willing himself to go to sleep, to stop dwelling on his teammates possible reactions when they knew. He'd finally fallen asleep at half past two in the morning, and even then his sleep wasn't sound – he kept wishing that tomorrow didn't have to come.

Unfortunately, it already had.

Shaking his head to clear sleep from his brain, he walked over to his closet and picked out a black tank top with a stenciled flame design on the back, baggy gray pants, and his ever-present white scarf. It was warm outside, but that didn't necessarily mean that it wouldn't get colder later in the day. Finally, he grabbed a towel from the upper drawer and entered his private bathroom.

_

* * *

Buzzzzz…_

"Huh? What wazzat?" Yuriko mumbled sleepily as she poked her head out from under her coverlet. She glanced slowly from side to side, still not quite awake, until she spotted the alarm clock on the side table. She checked the time: a quarter past seven. "Why in the world would I set the alarm _this_ early?" she asked herself, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side.

"Oh, yeah…" She ran a hand through her auburn waves as she remembered. "I'm supposed to go with Kai today, since he's going to introduce me to his friends." She yawned and stretched, then went over to the dressing table provided for her. She grabbed a brush and began straightening out the tangles that came with sleeping and having long hair.

_How will they react, though?_ She wondered as she replaced the brush and wandered over to the closet; she began rifling through the various clothes hanging there. _I mean, Kai is probably the most serious, quiet teenage boy I've ever met, and he doesn't seem the type to easily fall in love…what will his friends think when they find out he has a fiancé, even if it isn't of his own choosing?_

Finally, she held out a silver-gray racer back tank top, a red off-shoulder top with flared sleeves, and a pair of pants – dark blue at the top and growing lighter towards the bottom.

_Might as well look presentable…_she thought vaguely as she gazed at the outfit laid out on the bed.

She glanced towards the clock and found that she'd spent nearly twenty minutes just choosing what she'd wear. _Oops…_

Hastily, she grabbed a towel from her still-open suitcase and hurried out the door towards the guest bathroom.

* * *

"Well, you're _finally_ ready…" Kai said dryly as he watched Yuriko half-run down the stairs to the main hall.

"_Gomenasai_…" Yuriko said quietly. "I hadn't realized that it was nearing a quarter past eight already…"

"Whatever…" Kai said, starting off down the hall and leaving the amethyst-eyed teen to catch up. "Now, let's go. I don't want to be the last one there."

"_Hai…_"

Soon they were quite far from the estate, yet neither one had said anything. Yuriko got considerably uncomfortable with the silence and took a deep breath, ready to make another attempt at conversation. She looked up at the slightly taller teen.

And instantly felt a stab of sympathy for him; the slate-haired teen looked like he'd barely gotten any sleep. But he was trying not to let that show.

She glanced down at the sidewalk. "Kai-san, I'm sorry if you didn't sleep well last night because of me."

Kai glanced at her, surprised that she'd guessed.

The auburn-haired teen took another deep breath and stared straight ahead, not sure of what would happen if she were to look at her companion. "I mean…it must be hard to…come to terms with what happened…back at the chateau. I can imagine how…strict you must be with your teammates, and I can tell that you're…more than a little apprehensive about how they'll react."

"Apprehensive?" Kai said, practically grinding out the word.

"I…don't mean in a bad way; its just that I can tell from your attitude towards me that you'd treat your teammates almost the same way, and that they're used to your being a…a loner, I guess. Last night, you must have been going over the possible reactions they might have…"

Kai didn't reply; neither did he look at her. Yuriko sighed.

* * *

"_WHAT_?" Kinomiya Takao sat straight up when he heard the news. "No way!"

"I need to get my ears cleaned…" Mizuhara Max said, sticking a finger in his ear to emphasize his point.

Kai sighed, arms in their customary position. "Stop joking around; I know _I'm _not…unfortunately."

Rei Kon leaned forward. "But Kai…you're sure your grandfather _means_ for this to happen?"

"When my grandfather announces something, it's considered final; there's no changing of plans."

Dark brown, floppy-haired Kyouju only blinked, while the girl beside him – Tachibana Hiromi – who had the same color hair as the bespectacled teen, went stiff with shock.

_Did…did he say…_fiancée?

Team BBA had decided to meet at the Kinomiya dojo, and as soon as everyone had gathered, Kai told them about the 'surprise'. Now he was unsure if he had made the right decision of telling them before they began training – neither one of them didn't look like they would be able to concentrate much.

Yuriko looked at her lap, embarrassed. She felt like she somehow didn't belong, like she had intruded upon private property.

"But…won't that take you away from training and stuff?" Rei was saying. He was obviously concerned for his captain and shared his thoughts, because as soon as he said this, Kai closed his eyes and sighed sadly. "I know, but you _know_ I can't do anything to waver his decision once its been made."

"Hey, its no big if Kai misses a few training sessions or two," Takao said, half-laughing. "At least he won't be able to push us around much."

"Hmm…you have a point there, Takao…" Max said, grinning. He glanced at Yuriko. "Anyway, Kai, I don't see why you're complaining. I mean, she seems a nice enough girl. Pretty, too."

Yuriko blushed and smiled. It wasn't very often that she received comments like that, and she got embarrassed whenever she _did_ receive one.

Suddenly, her eyes widened as she sensed someone watching them from the inner garden. She stood up quickly and mumbled a quick 'Excuse me,' before running off down the wraparound porch the dojo sported. Everyone stared after her.

"What was that about?" Takao said, turning back to his captain in time to see the crimson-eyed teen take off after Yuriko. "Kai?"

Rei stood up. "I think we ought to follow them." Everyone followed suit and ran towards the inner garden. When they got there, the first thing they saw was Kai standing stock-still on the porch and staring at something.

"Hey, Kai! What's wrong?" Takao asked as he ran up to the slate-haired teen, closely followed by his friends. Kai kept staring at that something, so Takao turned to look, too. What he saw made him gasp.

"Whoa!"

Yuriko was engaged in a battle with a black-clad, menacing-looking person with either black or charcoal brown hair – Takao couldn't tell which one it was. That she was fighting someone probably twice her age was shocking enough, but to add to that, he was throwing small objects at her, which she dodged quite expertly.

"What is she doing with that guy?" Max asked, his voice an awed whisper. Takao shrugged.

"Beats me, Max, but never mind that. Look at her go!"

"What talent…" Rei said. Kai nodded in agreement. Hiromi was the only one who didn't share their enthusiasm.

_Who does think she is?_ She thought savagely, glaring at the auburn-haired girl, who by now was moving so fast they could barely keep track of her. _First she shows up with Kai, who reveals that they're engaged, and _now_ she shows off her 'fighting skills', or whatever it is she's showing off…_

Suddenly…

"_Katon!_ _Housenkaa no Jutsu_!" Yuriko yelled. She had landed on the lawn, while her opponent was up in the air. Drawing one hand up close to her face, almost at a level with her mouth, she took a deep breath and blew; while she was doing this, she also moved quickly from side to side. The reason for this was clear: while she blew, fireballs seemed to emerge from her mouth and shoot towards the man in black. He saw the attack coming and tried to dodge each ball of flame; he wasn't quick enough though, for his right arm got slightly burned, as did the left side of his robe.

"What was _that_?" This time, it was Hiromi who exclaimed out loud.

"How'd she do that?" Max asked, glancing pointedly at Kai; the crimson-eyed teen shrugged.

"No clue."

"So…you decided to use it…" the black-clothed man was saying. "Very well then…" He performed some more hand movements, and then placed his hand on the ground. "_Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!"

Suddenly, a huge, black bird with eyes like glowing coals emerged from out of nowhere. Flapping its wings furiously, it screeched loudly, as though declaring its might and power to all present.

"Yuriko-_san_!" Rei called, worried for the safety of the new addition to their group. "You have to get out of there! That thing's _HUGE_! You might get hurt!"

The amethyst-eyed teen looked over at him, and got a surprised look on her face; in the ferocity of the match, she hadn't noticed that they had gathered there. She recovered his wits and smiled at the neko-jin. "I'm fine, Rei. This bird will prove to be no problem." She turned to face her opponent, looking determined.

"Not while I can counter with a technique of my own." She placed the tips of the first two fingers on each hand together, folded the remaining fingers down, and laced the thumbs together. In the blink of an eye, a familiar figure appeared beneath her.

Kai gasped when he saw what it was Yuriko had summoned. Golden, strategically placed armor; flowing white and scarlet feathers; huge, gleaming talons; wreaths of flame…

It was his Dranzer.

"No way…" Kyouju said, instantly opening his laptop. "According to my files, no one else can control any _one_ of the legendary beasts except for its master, or any of the other legendary beasts' wielders!"

"So how is she controlling Dranzer?" Hiromi asked.

Kyouju shrugged. "No clue!" he shouted back over the now-raging wind.

"Having a beast of your own isn't going to help matters any!" Yuriko's adversary called. "Not if you can't control it!"

"Who says I can't control it?" Yuriko shot back, looking really angry now. "I've tolerated you guys in the past, but trying to sneak an attack on my companions is really low!"

"So you sensed what I was going to do, and went here to stop me?" It was evident from the creases in the dark-robed man that he was smirking. "How very heroic. But that won't do you any good."

Suddenly, an enormous ball of black light burst from the mouth of the dark bird. Dranzer quickly countered with a fireball of her own. The two blasts met, and a struggle ensued.

Yuriko quickly performed two sets of hand movements, adding wind and lightning to the already formidable-looking fire attack.

"Amazing!" Her opponent said, looking surprised. "I thought what my clansmen were saying about you were only hearsay, but now I know otherwise."

Yuriko didn't answer, but closed her eyes and began chanting. In a split second, the man and his mount were engulfed in flames. There was only a brief, bone-chilling scream, a loud screech, and they were gone, leaving nothing but ashes where they once stood.

Yuriko knelt down and stroked Dranzer's feathers. "_Arigatou…_" she whispered. "For coming when I called." She jumped down, and the majestic phoenix slowly disappeared into nothingness, and the wind died down.

"Yuriko-_san_, that was amazing!" Max exclaimed, running over to the auburn-haired teen.

"Yeah! Where'd you learn to do that?" Rei added, joining the blonde teen. "And who was your mentor?"

"Why didn't you tell us you could do such things?" Takao piped up.

"You owe us an explanation, Yuriko." Kai said calmly, looking at her pointedly.

Yuriko looked solemn as she glanced at her newfound friends. "And I will, Kai. However, I think it would be best if we returned to the porch. It's more comfortable there. Don't worry; I'll tell you everything."

* * *

A/N: Okay, have you guessed yet? You _did _notice that this fic belongs under 'anime crossovers', right? I've given enough spoilers in this chapter as to which anime I'vecrossed with Beyblade G-Revolution...

Mei: R&R, _minna-san_!

Me: Dewa mata!Peace out and God bless!


	5. Chapter 4: The Truth

A/N: Wow...I'm surprised at my speed in updating stuff nowadays...maybe it has something to do with the number of insanely long breaks in your college freshman year...XD

Anyway, I think for some readers (at least, those who _really _know their anime), it's pretty obvious which two I've combined for this fic... So...enjoy!

Disclaimer - Mei: Aki-kun isn't here to do it, so...Kari-chan doesn't own any of the anime depicted here, but she owns to OCs and the plot!

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* * *

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**Chapter 4: The Truth**

The six members of Team BBA, and Yuriko were seated on the porch, not far from where Kai and his friends had watched the auburn-haired teen exterminate an opponent. Everyone was silent as they waited for her to begin her explanation.

"First of all, I am not related in any way to my grandmother; I bear her name, but I am not of their bloodline."

"So you're adopted?" Max asked, leaning forward to hear better. Yuriko nodded.

"I don't even know my true family name. Neither am I from this world, at least directly. My birth parents' home is located somewhere in a land I know only as 'the Country of Fire' or 'the Fire Nation'."

"I am the last surviving member of a clan that was wiped out years ago by the members of the Shikino. They are the only clan of their kind, using mainly dark chakra for their techniques."

"What's 'chakra'?" Kyouju asked, pushing his glasses upward.

"A spiritual force found deep inside. It's thought to be pure myth, but where I come from, chakra is more than a myth. You can use it to attack others using techniques – _jutsu_ – to move objects, and others things, even to heal injuries. Anyway, my clansmen were known to have the ability to control the five principle elements: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and Lightning. The Shikino were jealous of this ability; they planned to obliterate my family, leaving them without question the most powerful clan in that country."

Rei leaned forward. "Then what happened?"

"The answer is right here, Rei-_san_." Yuriko smiled sadly at the amber-eyed teen. "They killed my whole family – my parents, my grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone. Except for me. My nursemaid risked her life to spirit me away from out ancestral home, and brought me here, via a portal. She then brought me to my adoptive parents and explained everything to them and my grandmother."

"And these Shikino guys found out that they had missed one clan member, which is why they're after you." Takao finished, leaning against the wall.

"Not just me. They also succeeded in killing my adoptive parents."

Kyouju's eyes widened, and he sat forward. "What? Why?"

"They wanted information on my whereabouts. My nursemaid had warned Mom and Dad that this might happen, and they didn't spill anything. As a result, they were murdered, and my enemies drove their car over a cliff to make death look accidental. I was only five then, and my grandmother has raised me ever since."

"So who taught you those techniques you used a while ago?" Kai asked; he was still seated in his usual position, his eyes closed. "Especially the one where you summoned Dranzer."

"When I was around six, I was visited by several strangely-dressed people. They said that they knew who I was and why I was here. Then they introduced themselves as my personal trainers in the arts of _taijutsu_, _genjutsu_, and_ ninjutsu_."

"What do _taijutsu_ and _genjutsu_ mean? I know that _ninjutsu_ is the ancient art of the ninja…"

Yuriko nodded. "Yes. Ninja. Meaning that I was one, too. _Genjutsu_ is the art of illusion, while _taijutsu_ is hand-to-hand combat."

"Then what happened?" Max asked. He leaned against one of the wooden posts of the porch. "And where are your teachers or trainers or whatever?"

"Well, like they said, they trained me in those three…disciplines, especially in _ninjutsu_, because in there lay my inherent abilities' strongest aspects. And then, when I was around thirteen or fourteen, they said that they had to take care of some important business back in their – our homeland, and since then I haven't seen them very often, only once every three months or so. Still, I kept up with my training whether they were there to supervise me or not. And then, around a year ago, these strange people started going after me. Hatake-_sensei-_"

"Who?" Hiromi interrupted. She still held a grudge against the amethyst-eyed teen for 'stealing' Kai from her, but admittedly, her story was interesting.

"One of my teachers."

"Oh. Okay."

"Anyway, Hatake-_sensei_ said that they were members of the Shikino, bent on carrying out their plan of obliteration."

"So that guy you were fighting a few minutes ago was-" Rei looked thoughtful.

"_Hai_. A Shikino clansman."

"So basically, almost your entire life has been about training and making yourself stronger so you could fight off these bad guys who keep trying to kill you, just because of your 'special' abilities?" Takao took off his trademark red-and-blue baseball cap and ran a hand through his hair. "Man! I don't know how you managed not to break down!"

Yuriko broke into a small grin. "There were many times when I wanted to just give up and let the Shikino win, but in those times, I remembered my biological parents, my whole family, and how they sacrificed their lives to protect me, the youngest at that time; and also my adoptive family, who died protecting my whereabouts. Just thinking about them and how much they loved me gives me enough strength to go on."

"'Love clouds the mind and weakens the knees, but how much strength lies behind this weakness.'" Kai said quietly.

"Huh?" Takao whirled around to face his captain, who hadn't said a word before now. "What did you say, Kai?"

"I was just quoting something I heard, Takao; I forgot where I heard it. Basically, love may make someone 'weak', but it can also provide great strength where there was none."

"Kai, you're scaring me."

"Whatever." Kai stood up quickly. "Now, come on. Let's begin training before the entire day is wasted."

"Hang on…" Max stood up and glanced around. "Where's Hiromi?"

"Eh? Hiromi-san?" Yuriko stood up as well. "She was here a few moments ago…"

"The girl is here." A deep voice answered. Everyone gathered on the porch turned to face the source, and gasped.

Standing on a branch of a nearby tree stood a man almost identical in appearance to the one Yuriko had fought. And he was holding Hiromi captive.

"Hey! What's the big idea? Let her go!" Takao lunged forward, but Kai stopped him.

"Takao, don't do anything rash! We don't know who we're dealing with."

"And apparently, how many we're dealing with." Yuriko looked concerned. She glanced furtively around, as though searching for something. Then, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her arms resting at her sides.

She stayed still for a few seconds, and then, suddenly, she jumped off the porch and into the tree next to the one where Hiromi's captor was.

"Yuriko-san!" Rei called after. "Hiromi's-"

Suddenly, there was a scream of pain, and another black-clad man fell out of the tree Yuriko had landed in.

"Oh."

A small, black object came whizzing out of the tree and seemed to disappear deep in the center of the fallen man's chest; the assassin jerked, and then lay still.

"Oh, my-" Max groaned, shaking his head. "I did _not_ see that…I did _not_ see that…" he repeated to himself, as though doing so would make him forget that he had just watched a man die, however bloodless it had been.

"Yuriko, how many more are there?" Kai called. He reached a hand up towards the scarf at his neck and clutched the upper part, ready to pull it up on his face.

The auburn-haired teen turned back towards her companions, a worried look on her face. "I can only sense two more; those, I can handle, if they choose to show themselves. But I can't say for sure that there _aren't_ more. Also, for some strange reason, I can't tell _where _those two are."

"Guys! Help!" Kyouju yelped, alerting Max and Rei; Kai and Takao still had their eyes trained on the tree where Hiromi was captive. The blonde and the neko-jin whipped around to see _another_ man, this time clad in dark gray, holding the bespectacled researcher's hands pinned behind him.

"Kyouju!"

_Well, that's one less hidden ninja..._From her vantage point, Yuriko surveyed the scene before her: in the tree next to hers, Hiromi was being held captive, while below, Kyouju was in the same predicament. While her companions were no doubt skilled in _some_ hand-to-hand combat, she knew that she alone had enough training to handle these assassins. However – she smiled when she realized it – she had one advantage.

She knew what these men were planning.

She jumped back down to the porch and faced Kyouju's captor, a _kunai_ in one hand.

"Let him go." She demanded, her voice full of quiet anger.

"Take one more step, girl, and your friend here will be looking at a one-way trip to the Underworld."

Yuriko smirked. She was right. They had planned to take two or more of her new friends captive; they would only release them if she – Yuriko – gave herself up.

"And what makes you think that will happen?" she asked angrily

"Haven't you forgotten, Yuriko?" his companion – the one who had Hiromi – asked mockingly. "Your clan may possess control of the five elements, but they don't have the power to heal, do they?" he chuckled. "I would advise you to stay where you are if you don't want anything to happen to your friends…"

"Like any of us will let that happen!" A familiar voice joined in the conversation. Yuriko started as someone leapt from the porch and into the tree she had just vacated. She turned her head slightly so she could see better, and gasped.

Kai stood on one of the tree's branches, within reach of Hiromi and her captor. Yuriko had forgotten Kai's position of team captain for a moment, and also his other 'duties' in the process; one of them, she was sure – one he had placed upon himself – was to protect all the team members should they fall into danger. Yet, his jumping into action wasn't what was so shocking; it was his appearance.

He hadn't changed his outfit, of course, but part of the scarf he wore around his neck had been pulled upwards, covering the lower half of his face and giving the impression that he was a ninja – even when he really wasn't.

Hiromi's captor was also surprised. "What the-? _Another_ ninja?"

Kai smirked, even though it wasn't obvious because of his 'mask'. "Isn't it obvious? And you – AAAH!"

"Kai!" Takao shouted as he saw his friend being knocked down by another of their adversaries. Apparently, he had remained hidden in the branches higher up, and had waited for the opportune moment.

_Oh, no!_ Yuriko thought as she watched Kai and his attacker tumble towards the ground. She longed to help, but if she did, then it would mean that she could have endangered the captive researcher. As she did there, pondering what to do, Kai seemed to make the decision for her.

"Let…GO!" Kai exclaimed as he kicked the guy off in mid-air, twisting around at the same time so that he landed safely on his feet. His opponent fell with a dull _thud_.

"Wow. I never knew you could do that, Kai…" Yuriko said, taking her eyes off Kyouju and his captor for a moment.

"_Baka_!" The gray-clad ninja released Kyouju and grabbed the distracted girl. "Have you learned nothing? On the field of combat, _never_ let your eyes wander!"

Crimson orbs widened momentarily, and then narrowed; Kai pondered the various plans of action. On the one hand, he could return to Hiromi and her captor and free the girl, leaving Yuriko to deal with the man on the porch; after all, she had proved herself more than capable. On the other hand, he could help Yuriko – he could reach her within seconds – but then, who would rescue Hiromi? He wasn't entirely sure he could count on his teammates; all of them, save Rei, were rather mediocre in the physical combat department.

All was silent; none of the teens dared to move for fear of jeopardizing the others. Suddenly…

"Keitaro!"

Hiromi's captor glanced towards the porch, where he was sure his comrade was. "_Nani_?"

The man in gray stepped off the porch, bringing Yuriko with him – taking her farther from her companions in the process; he smirked. "Our mission is finally accomplished!"

"What are you-" Yuriko began, only to fall silent. Before her flashed the lethal metallic gray of the _kunai_.

"Don't you dare-" Kai growled menacingly. He made to lunge at the amethyst-haired teen's captor, and then stopped short, appalled.

It happened all too quickly. One second, the fatal blade hovered threateningly; the next, there was a spurt of bright red, and Yuriko slumped in her captor's arms. There hadn't even been time for a pained scream.

The man called Keitaro smirked as well. "Well done, Eiji."

Unceremoniously, Eiji dropped Yuriko onto the grass, which was slowly stained scarlet where the limp girl lay. In the tree, Keitaro got ready to jump down and rejoin his companion.

"Don't get too excited just yet, Keitaro…"

Hiromi's captor turned around and nearly dropped his captive. "_You_?"

Takao glanced at his friends. "What does he mean by 'you'?"

Max and Rei shrugged; Kyouju was silent, still shocked at what had happened to Yuriko.

Just then, Keitaro fell screaming towards the ground, landing with a sickening _crunch_.

"Did he just…fall?" Rei peered up at the branches.

Without warning, _another_ Yuriko jumped down from the tree, a shocked Hiromi in tow.

"What the-?" Max started but was cut off; the other Yuriko had gently thrown Hiromi into his arms. He glanced up at the auburn-haired teen. "What are you-? Didn't you just-"

Yuriko smiled grimly. "What you saw being killed was not the real me, Max-san, but a copy."

"A…copy?"

"One of the many techniques I was taught. Now, if you-" Amethyst orbs grew wide, and the girl stopped short.

"_Abunai! _Kai!"

Before he could even turn around, Kai felt himself being knocked to the ground.

"Kai _o hanase_!" He heard Yuriko's voice ring out, and he knew that he had been tackled by Eiji, Keitaro, or one of their other companions.

"You seem to be rather fond of this young man, Yuriko…" Kai's attacker chuckled.

"I _said_, let go of him!"

There was a sound of rushing air, the crackle of electricity, and then a scream – the assassin's – and a collective gasp from their companions. Suddenly, Kai found he could sit up; had his attacker let go of him?

His question was answered when he stood up and followed everyone else's gaze; there, on the ground, lay a smoking corpse, its facial features disfigured because of the heat generated by the electric attack Yuriko must have created. He turned towards the amethyst-eyed girl.

"_Arigatou_, Yuriko-san," he said softly, not wanting anyone to hear; he still had a reputation to protect, after all. Yuriko smiled a small smile, merely nodding in reply. Then, in a flash, she was gone from Kai's side. The crimson-eyed teen blinked, shocked.

"Where-" Kyouju began, taking off his glasses and cleaning them before putting them back on. Was he dreaming?

"Look! Over there!" Hiromi exclaimed, pointing. On the other side of the garden, Yuriko was once more engaged in battle, this time with Eiji _and_ Keitaro, and they were battling in the trees.

"How many more of your clansmen have you brought with you, Eiji?" Yuriko was saying when the six teens arrived. "I know the Keitaro Kai-san seemed to have killed was a copy, and thatthere's _at least_ one other Shikino assassin, but where are the rest?"

"What makes you think I'll answer your question, Yuriko?" Eiji replied, shooting a bolt of dark energy at the girl, who parried with a fireball. Behind her, Keitaro was aiming an attack of his own at the unsuspecting teen.

Kai saw this and frowned. _Time to return the favor…_ he thought, putting his scarf up as a mask once again (it had fallen when the now-dead assassin knocked him down). Thinking quickly, he leapt into the nearest tree's branches, and then at the black-clad ninja, knocking him down and causing him to miss his target. The attack went into the tree branches above where Yuriko stood; there was a shout of pain, and another ninja fell towards the ground. Apparently, he had been dead as he fell, for he did nothing to correct his position in order to land safely, as ninjas were wont to do.

Keitaro turned to face the slate-haired teen, his face contorted with anger. "So…Konoha sends another guardian for their 'special student'…"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kai replied indignantly. "I know nothing about this 'Konoha'; I did what I did to protect a friend."

"Well, then, you are a fool, child!" Keitaro smirked, producing a _kunai_ and thrusting it at Kai. The slate-haired teen stepped quickly to the side and aimed a well-placed punch to the ribs, making the ninja cry out.

And then, there was _another_ loud cry, followed by a horrified scream from Hiromi; Kai glanced up.

Yuriko landed a few feet away from Kai; for a few moments, she swayed unsteadily on her feet, then fell to her knees. The flame-eyed teen turned his attention away from Keitaro and ran towards her.

"Yuriko-san!" he exclaimed as he caught the girl before she could hit the ground. He allowed his gaze to roam over her body, noting with concern the knife blade protruding from the upper left section of her stomach. He glared up at Eiji and was about to speak when he was knocked to the side by Keitaro, who had taken advantage of the teen's shift in attention.

"Weren't you listening when Eiji told your friend _never_ to let your eyes wander while in combat?" he asked, smirking, as he grappled with the crimson-eyed teen. Kai glared, and then kicked his attacker off of him, earning another cry of pain as the older man hit a tree trunk.

* * *

"Aaah! Rei, be careful!"

Kai turned towards Kyouju – who had been the one to shout the warning – and the others. His eyes widened when he saw that Rei was doing battle with a _fifth_ ninja.

_Yuriko-san was right_…he thought as he rushed over to help. _There _were _more than four ninjas…_

Then Keitaro stepped in front of him.

"Don't think I will be so easily defeated, young ninja," he said, panting a bit; he'd hit the tree much harder than he thought. Without warning, he thrust his _kunai_ at the slate-haired teen once more. Kai dodged, but it wasn't fast enough; the edge of the blade connected with upper arm, and he bit back a cry of pain. Who knew that this ancient weapon could be so sharp?

"And do you think that such a small injury will hinder me?" he returned in an attempt to hide his surprise and pain. "I think not…"

With that, the Hiwatari heir jumped up and did a graceful back flip through the air, landing on a tree branch a few feet away. He braced himself only momentarily against the wood, and then launched himself at his adversary, reaching into his pocket and taking out his switchblade. He'd never actually used the small weapon on anyone, but thought the situation called for it. If anything, it would even the odds a little.

* * *

"Is that all you got?" Rei asked his opponent, grinning. "You haven't even landed a single blow on me!"

It was true. The neko-jin was relatively unscathed, while the ninja he was fighting – a brown-haired man by the name of Shun – was breathing hard and already bruises were starting to show. Despite this, Shun smirked.

"Oh? Then explain to me why you can't move now…"

Rei started, and then frowned; it had to be a trick. He made to lunge at the russet-haired man, but then found to his dismay that he indeed couldn't move.

"What-? How did-"

Shun chuckled darkly. "Each time you dealt me a blow, I attached chakra strings to you one at a time. Now you can't move of your own free will!"

Rei glared at the man, knowing he was right. Also, had Shun used real strings, the amber-eyed teen might have been able to cut them at some point, but he had no idea how to combat this 'spiritual energy' Yuriko had mentioned.

_What now?_

* * *

"Ungh…" Yuriko groaned as she pushed herself to her feet. She knew vaguely that someone had caught her before she hit the ground and injured herself further. She turned to face Eiji. "You managed to injure me…Eiji…congratulations." She said, smirking slightly.

"More than you think, dear Yuriko…" Eiji returned, an evil grin contorting his features.

"What do you-" The auburn-haired teen began, and then suddenly dropped to her knees, gasping for breath. And then she knew. "P-poison…" she coughed weakly.

Eiji's smirk grew wider. "Precisely. The _kunai_ I threw at you _was_ laced with poison, though I won't reveal its effects just yet. I'd prefer you found out firsthand."

Yuriko coughed again, and then forced herself to stand. She could tell it was one of the slow-acting poisons, because if it had been a typical or a fast-acting one, she would have been feeling dizzy. Still, she knew she had to act fast and defeat her opponent so she could somehow contact her trainers and let them know of her predicament. She focused on Eiji and then performed several seals.

"_Doton_!_ Doryuuga_!"

The ground beneath them trembled, and then a brownish dragon rose up from the earth and headed towards Eiji, its mouth open, ready to receive the enemy ninja.

Unfortunately, Eiji performed several seals, calling forth a wall of dark energy that repelled – and dispersed - said dragon.

"Tch!" Yuriko muttered, quickly performing her chosen seals before he could notice and perform another counter. This time, lightning shot across the ground in multiple streaks. Though the dark ninja managed to avoid some, he still got hit with the other lightning bolts he hadn't watched out for. Seeing this, the amethyst-eyed teen tried to follow up with another attack, but stopped suddenly as her eyesight blurred and she lost sight of him. "Wha-" And then she slumped sideways, but caught herself before she could fall flat on her stomach – which would have forced the poisoned _kunai _deeper into her stomach cavity.

As she struggled to focus on her opponent, a shadow suddenly loomed in front of her, blocking her view. She glanced up, unable to make out any features.

"Who-?"

* * *

"Agh!" Kai cried as he slammed into the tree trunk, much like Keitaro had earlier. _Damn it…_he thought, seething. He picked up his pocketknife, which lay beside him and stood up, holding it the way he'd seen Yuriko hold it. And not a moment too soon; Keitaro had thrown another _kunai _his way, and Kai moved his hand quickly to block it. Sure enough, the deadly weapon deflected off the blade and bounced to the side; Kai quickly caught it and smirked. Now he held _two_ weapons, one in each hand. Quickly, before his enemy could see the action and react, he flicked first one knife, then the other, towards the dark-clad man.

Unfortunately, neither hit the target, for Keitaro had unleashed a technique of his own.

Within seconds, Kai spotted the whirling vortex of darkness as it came for him, and leapt out of the way. Just as unfortunately, the attack hit the tree he'd been standing in front of, and, as the slate-haired teen landed, said tree began to lean to the side, and then to fall towards him.

Kai had just straightened up when he noticed the shadow and turned to face the falling tree. Crimson eyes widened; he wouldn't be able to get away in time!

He stood frozen to the spot with uncertainty, and just when he thought he'd feel the excruciating pain of being crushed to death, he felt something wrap itself around his waist and seize him away from his impending doom.

He opened his eyes and found himself unscathed.

"Huh?"

* * *

"Darn…it…" Rei muttered, gritting his teeth as he struggled against the invisible strings that now bound his body, rendering him immobile. A good distance away, Shun smirked and made the neko-jin move closer.

"Rei!" Hiromi was frantic now. If there was a sixth ninja, they were dead. None of them – Kyouju, Max, Takao, and herself – were well versed in close combat. Suddenly, a dark blur landed in front of the foursome, and, in an instant, had gone. It's silhouette, though, landed quite close to Rei's foe. There was a slicing sound, and Shun stiffened then fell over.

"Thank goodness…" Rei muttered, stretching his arms and legs, then his body to make sure they hadn't been permanently immobilized; the chakra strings were gone. The amber-eyed teen smiled and then looked up at his 'rescuer'. "Thanks, sir, I – WHOA!" he exclaimed suddenly as Keitaro came flying towards him; fortunately, he jumped out of the way just in time. A few feet away, Keitaro slammed into the wooden fence and slid to the ground, groaning.

"Sorry about that…" came a voice to Rei's left. The raven-haired teen turned to face the speaker. Approaching him and the man who'd helped him was another man, rather tall and lean though quite muscled and wearing green body suit, and he had what looked to be bowl-shaped haircut. "I got a little carried away," the man added, flashing a thumbs-up and grinning, showing a set of astonishingly white teeth.

The man in front of Rei – the one who'd helped the neko-jin with Shun – smiled and waved his companion's apology away. This man, too, was tall, and he had what seemed to be dark blue or black hair, which he wore spiked up. Rei noted that this man and the guy with the bowl haircut wore similar olive-greenjackets.

"Nah, that's okay. No one got hurt." The spiky-haired man replied, and then he stepped back as Takao, Max, Hiromi and Kyouju ran up to their friend.

"Rei! Are you all right?" Max asked as soon as they had surrounded the Chinese boy.

"Not to worry; your friend is just fine." The man, who seemed to be smoking an unlit cigarette reassured them, and then he turned, still smiling, to Rei and said, "I'm quite impressed, though, with your prowess at close-hand combat; you handled yourself pretty well…"

"Not to mention one of your companions was able to pull off looking like a ninja, and I noted that he nearly defeated one, too…" Another voice joined the conversation. Everyone turned to see who it was. Kai was approaching them, too, and a few feet behind him was another man - carrying Yuriko, who looked as though she were asleep. This man had rather floppy silvery-gray hair, and a dark mask covered the lower part of his face.

"So…are you guys ninjas?" Takao asked suddenly, a puzzled look spreading across his face.

The man with the bowl haircut nodded, and then suddenly went into the opening stance for the crane style of kung fu. "Of course we are!" he said as he then assumed a series of martial arts poses. "We're three of the best ninjas of our generation!"

"Yuriko!" Hiromi hurried over to the silver-haired man; she'd only really noticed her friend's state at that moment. Where she had felt loathing towards this girl, inexplicably, it had vanished, and now she was worried for her well-being – the auburn-haired teen _had_ helped rescue her earlier, after all. She gazed up at the silver-haired man. "Is she going to be okay?" she asked.

The older man smiled – or rather, seemed to smile, – and nodded his head. "_Hai_. I've already administered the proper antidote. She should come around in a few minutes."

"The poison won't have any ill long-term effects, will it?" Kai came closer, adding a question of his own. This time, the masked man shook his head, though he was still smiling.

"None at all. It was a slow-acting poison, and thankfully, it hadn't been in her bloodstream for very long." And then he suddenly turned serious, for his gaze had turned grim. "However, we have to take her – and the six of you – back with us. We might need to monitor her, just in case, and also, if all of you remain here, we can't guarantee your safety."

The dark-haired man took the cigarette out of his mouth. "We know that Yuriko revealed her secret to you moments before the assault took place. And the enemy knows it, too; the six of you are in danger because of what you know."

There was silence, and then Max spoke up. "Hang on…how do you know Yuriko-_san_?"

At that moment, Yuriko murmured something unintelligible, stirred, and then opened her eyes. She blinked once, twice as light invaded, and then her vision cleared. "Uhhh…Hatake-_sensei_?" she asked, recognizing the one who carried her.

"Glad to see you're awake, Yuriko," the man called Hatake-_sensei_ replied, "but didn't I already say that I'm uncomfortable with that name. Attach the honorific if you must, but, please, call me by my first name."

"I'm sorry, Ha – Kakashi-_sensei_," Yuriko said, correcting herself. "I'm not used to calling my teachers by their first names…"

"Yuriko?"

The auburn-haired teen turned her head when she heard her name being called, and saw that it was Takao who had spoken. "_Hai_?"

"These guys are your teachers?"

Yuriko nodded, smiling. She nodded to 'Kakashi-_sensei_' and the man, sensing her meaning, put her down. Slowly, she got to her feet, and to her delight, the weakness she'd felt earlier had left her completely. She mouthed a 'thank you', and then walked over to where her friends stood. Then she turned to face the three men.

"Kakashi-_sensei_, Gai-_sensei_, Asuma-_sensei_, I'd like you to meet my friends Hiwatari Kai, Tachibana Hiromi, Rei Kon, Mizuhara Max, Kinomiya Takao, and Kyouju." As she said their names, she gestured towards them in turn. "And guys, these are just three of my trainers. This is Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, and Sarutobi Asuma." When indicated, each of the three ninjas inclined their heads – an informal bow, but a sign of respect just the same – and the six teens, save Yuriko, returned it in kind.

"Well, now that we've all been acquainted," Kakashi began, a smile on his face again. "As we said earlier, we'll have to take you back to Konoha with us; it isn't safe here for any of you until the Shikino are defeated."

"Wait. Is this 'Konoha' your hometown?" Kai asked. He recalled that Keitaro had mentioned that during their battle.

Asuma nodded. "Yes, it is." To Yuriko, he said, "This will be your first time to return there since the massacre?"

"_Hai_, and I can't wait!" Yuriko replied excitedly. "I'll finally see the land of my birth! It's been far too long."

"Then let's go; Kurenai is still waiting for us at the meeting place," Kakashi piped up. He stood still for a few moments, and then suddenly he was gone, as were his two companions.

Then Takao noticed that the ninjas Kai, Rei, and Yuriko had been fighting a while ago were gone, too. "Hey! Those dark ninja people! Where'd they go?" he asked, looking around him furtively.

"Eiji's taken his companions back with him to their clan compound," Yuriko replied, poising herself to jump, too. "However, we have to hurry now; Kakashi-_sensei_ and the others are moving quite fast, and I'm quickly losing their chakra signatures."

"'Chakra signatures'?" Kyouju asked.

"Each person has a different chakra rotational pattern and resonance. This is his of her chakra signature." The amethyst-eyed teen explained. "By sensing it, I'm able to tell the difference between an approaching comrade and an ambushing enemy. Now, come on! We have to go! There already several miles due south!" With that, she jumped up onto the garden wall, and then dropped down to the other side. The others raced to the gate as quickly as they could. Thankfully, they could still see Yuriko; the auburn-haired teen was just about to disappear into the forest located near Takao's house.

"Just don't go so fast!" Kyouju yelled, struggling to keep up with his more athletic companions. "Some of us aren't cut out for running, y'know!"

Yuriko peeked out from the branches of a tree. "Sorry 'bout that," she said as she hung upside down. "I don't want to lose track of Hata – sorry, Kakashi-_sensei_."

"It's okay, Yuriko, please remember that not all of us were trained to be ninjas like you…" Rei said, smiling. The auburn-haired girl grinned sheepishly, and then hopped to the ground.

"This way," she said, gesturing towards an overgrown path, and then she began running at a rather fast pace, but it _was_ slower than her pace a few minutes ago. The six teens shrugged, and then followed suit.

* * *

A/N: Okay, that's Chapter 4! So now Team BBA goes to Konoha! Oh, this is such a mix-up!

Mei: Yeah! What will happen if Takao and the others decide to train with their blades, and then they call out their beasts? Is that still a summon, in Naruto terms?

Me: ...Yeah, good question, Mei...Anyways, R&R, _minna_! Dewa mata! Peace out and God bless!


	6. Chapter 5: The Village of The Leaf

A/N: Finally! For the longest time now, the archive wouldn't let me upload this chapter, so my apologies to all those waiting to read the next installment...Yup! The story kicks up a bit from here...though I'm not entirely sure on that... ;

Mei: On with the show!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the two anime featured here...only the OCs...

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**Chapter 5: The Village of The Leaf**

"_There_ you are!" An impatient, yet controlled voice broke through the relative silence of the forest. "I thought something had happened to you three, and I was of a mind to go and look for you, leaving the portal unguarded!"

Kakashi slowed down, as did Gai and Asuma beside him, and glanced at the one who had spoken. It was a young woman, in her early twenties, with long, wavy black hair and garnet eyes. He smiled apologetically. "_Gomen_, Kurenai, but I was rather taken by Yuriko's performance."

Asuma stepped forward, smiling as well. "She's improved quite a lot since her last formal training session."

"Two of her friends were pretty good at fighting the Shinoki," Gai commented.

Kurenai's crimson eyes narrowed. "These friend of hers…they know her secret, don't they."

Kakashi nodded. "Yes, they do. That's why we've brought them – along with Yuriko – back with us. They should be coming any moment now."

For a few minutes, the four jounin were silent, listening for sounds of any approaching. Then…

"Whoa!"

"AAAAH!"

"Yuriko, what are you trying to do?"

"We're gonna crash!"

Kurenai blanched as Yuriko jumped down from a nearby tree, bringing behind her – riding on wind currents, apparently – six other teens. Four of them – three boys and a girl – were doing the screaming, Kurenai noticed. The other two were relatively calm, although the one who looked to be Chinese seemed to be sweating profusely from fright.

Yuriko landed in front of the four adults, then gently brought her companions down onto the ground. As soon as all six had landed safely, she made a slight gesture with her hands and there was a low rushing sound, that of air currents dissipating. The auburn-haired teen turned to Kurenai and bowed low. The woman gave a curt nod of her head, her own sign of acknowledgement, and then she turned to the tree that stood behind her.

"There will be time for introductions later, Yuriko," she said without looking at the girl. "Right now, we must hurry back through the portal; I can't keep it open much longer."

Yuriko nodded, and then turned to her friends. "C'mon, guys. I think Kurenai-_sensei_ wants us to go through first."

Takao's stormy-blue eyes were wide. "But…but where? All I see is a huge tree!"

"You just need to step into the tree trunk," Yuriko replied. Still, not one of them moved, and she sighed. "Oh, all _right_…" Saying this, she went up close to the tree, and put a hand in; it disappeared within the tree trunk, creating strange ripples on its surface, as though it were only an illusion. Within moments, she had disappeared into the hidden portal.

After seeing this, Kai shrugged and stepped up to the tree, following Yuriko's example. It seemed that this gave everyone reassurance to try it themselves; one by one they followed the pair through the portal. Afterwards, the four jounin, too, went in and disappeared. Kurenai was the last one to go; when she disappeared within, the portal closed after her.

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"Where are we?" Takao asked, gazing at their surroundings.

"It's a forest, genius." Kai remarked sarcastically. And it was true; they _were_ in a forest, though which forest it was exactly was anyone's guess.

"Kurenai-sensei mentioned this place once when I was training with her…" Yuriko said slowly. "She said it was called the 'Forest of Death', but I don't know why it was called as such."

Almost everyone shivered inwardly. 'Forest of Death' seemed an appropriate name; most forests would be practically buzzing with noise, indicative of life. However, this woodland gave off a rather unsettling vibe; it was _too_ quiet, as though nothing lived in it.

Suddenly, Max thought he spotted something familiar. "Hey! What's that?" he cried, pointing to something in the distance. Everyone followed his gaze; beyond them loomed a mountain with five faces carved into it. "It looks like Mt. Rushmore!" the blonde continued, referring to a monument to the four greatest presidents in the United States.

"Yeah, you're right…" Kyouju observed.

Yuriko was silent as she examined the surrounding forest. She could tell she was in the land of her birth, but nothing felt familiar to her; she was saddened by this one fact. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder; she turned to find Kakashi standing behind her.

"Yuriko, it's all right. It's understandable for you not to feel any familiarity to Konohagakure-"

"My birthplace?"

"Yes. Anyway, there is no time to feel sadness at trifles such as not feeling at peace here; that will pass soon enough. However, we must hurry into the village now. Tsunade-_sama_ has been expecting you, ever since she accessed the records detailing 'the assault'."

"'Tsunade-_sama_'?" Yuriko asked, puzzled. The last she'd heard, the elderly Sarutobi had come out of retirement as the Sandaime Hokage.

Kakashi silently filled her in on what had happened previously, revealing what it was that had been so urgent it temporarily halted the formal trainings she'd had with him and his comrades.

"Kakashi, let's get going!" Gai suddenly called. The silver-haired young man and the auburn-haired teen both glanced his way. Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai were already gathered in the clearing, and near them were Kai and his friends. "You know the Godaime Hokage doesn't like being kept waiting," the man with a bowl haircut grinned, flashing his pearly whites.

"_Hai, hai_…" Kakashi replied, steering Yuriko towards the group. A few moments later, they were walking through the forest; there was no path, but the jounins seemed to know where they were going. Yuriko sure didn't, so she made no move to strike out on her own, even though she didn't like being led like a child.

Almost suddenly, huge gates loomed up ahead of them, with the symbol for fire painted on them in bright red. As soon as they approached, the gates swung open, and they crossed the massive threshold into a bustling, thriving city.

Gai grinned. "Welcome to Konoha!" he said majestically, throwing his arms out for emphasis.

Kai leaned towards Yuriko. "This city is your birthplace?"

Yuriko nodded. "Kakashi-_sensei_ told me so, but it doesn't feel like home…" Several kids ran past, laughing and shouting happily to one another. Up and down the street were various shops and stalls where people were buying things to eat and drink, accessories, books, and other knickknacks.

"Come on, everyone; it's this way," Kurenai prodded, indicating the largest building that seemed to be at the heart of the city. "Tsunade-_same_ will want to see your friends, Yuriko. Our only orders were to bring _you _back, nothing more. Once she learns we have brought your companions, she'll want a full report of the circumstances, and she'll give them the usual warnings and procedures."

"'Warnings'?" Hiromi turned to give the older woman a puzzled look. "About what?"

"It's standard procedure for every newcomer or delegate ninja to Konoha," Kurenai explained. "We want to make sure that none of you are spies of any sort from any of the neighboring countries."

After around ten minutes of walking, they arrived at the huge building, and the four jounins ushered the seven teens inside and directed them up a set of stairs. Soon, Yuriko and her companions found themselves standing before an unremarkable-looking door, but the amethyst-eyed teen could sense a distinctly powerful chakra signature emanating from behind it. Kakashi stepped up to the door and knocked once, twice, three times. Then he stepped back.

After an uneasy silence, a muffled voice sounded in answer to the jounin's knocks. "_Haitte_."

The door opened, and then Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai, and Asuma ushered the teens into the room. They filed in, one by one, and Gai shut the door behind them.

Yuriko allowed her gaze to wander around the room. This was the Hokage's office, she realized, because of all the documents and papers heaped on the desk and the filing cabinets that stood in a neat line against a wall. And seated behind the desk, just in front of the huge glass windows, was a blonde-haired woman – Tsunade-_sama_.

The woman stood and walked out from behind the desk to stand a few feet in front of them. "Kakashi, why are there _seven_ of them? I recall telling you to bring back the _child_ who survived 'the assault', not a whole group."

Kakashi cleared his throat and laid a hand on Yuriko's shoulder, as he had done in the Forest of Death. Sensing that she was supposed to introduce herself, the auburn-haired teen bent forward slightly. "I am Takenoichi Yuriko, Tsunade-_sama_," she said, willing her voice to be loud and clear enough to make her understood. Then she straightened up and introduced her friends. As their names were mentioned, each bowed in the same manner.

"We had to bring them back with us, Hokage-_sama_," Kakashi added, a small smile on his face. "Yuriko had had no recourse but to tell them once they witnessed her in action against one of the assassins sent to kill her. There is no doubt that, had these six –" here he gestured towards Kai and his teammates – "remained there, the Shikino would have used them to try to gain information on her, thus endangering each of them."

Tsunade gave a small smile. "You've thought this over, haven't you?"

Asuma, Kakashi, Gai, and Kurenai glanced at each other and grinned; they weren't in trouble for deviating from the original orders!

"So…since it's obvious the six of you are here to stay for some time…" Tsunade continued, walking back to her desk. "As well as you, Yuriko, that means we'll need to find you apartments of your own. But in the meanwhile, I suppose I'll have to ask some of the clans to take at least two of you in, while you have no permanent place to stay." She sat back down and gazed steadily at Yuriko. "Although you might want to take up residence at your clan's compound. I hear it's been rebuilt."

Rei turned to his teammates and mouthed, "Clan compound?" Everyone shrugged in reply.

Yuriko pondered the suggestion, and then smiled. "Yes, I think I'd like that, Hokage-_sama_. That's probably the last place the Shikino will think to look for me, if ever they figure out that I am not in Tokyo anymore."

"If that's the case, then we need not find apartments for you; the compound will be sufficient to house all seven of you – in fact, I think it will be a bit _too_ big…"

"It's all right, Tsunade-_sama_," Yuriko once more bowed low. "In fact, if there are only a handful of us living in the compound, it will be harder to detect any one person within such a large area…"

"You have a point…" The yellow-haired woman looked thoughtful for a moment, and then glanced back up. "It's settled then. Asuma, Gai, Kakashi, Kurenai, the four of you are dismissed."

The four jounins bowed, and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared, leaving the seven teens in the Hokage's office. "As for you," Tsunade continued, "I'll send for you once preparations for your move have been completed. You'll need furniture, of course, and other essentials – two weeks' worth of food, for instance. Afterwards, I'm afraid you'll have to fend for yourself. I'm only offering this initial service because all of you are relatively new here.

"As long as you stay here, you will be treated as units of Konoha, with or without the proper ninja training. Besides, the 'untrained' part can always be remedied…

"Now, feel free to explore and familiarize yourselves with the city. That is all."

Yuriko bowed once more, as did her friends. And then, one by one, they left the room, went back down the corridor, descended the staircase, and then went back out into the street.

"Uh, Yuriko?" Kyouju tapped the girl on the girl, and she turned to face him.

"Huh?"

"What's the 'Hokage'?"

"Well, that's the highest rank a ninja of Konoha can attain," the auburn-haired teen replied. "And, usually, once you attain that rank, you also become the village leader.

"The official rank is 'Kage' – shadow, pertaining to the ninja's ability to remain unseen. Therefore, the 'Hokage' is 'the fire shadow'; the 'Kazekage', 'the wind shadow'; and so on."

"How many Hokages are there?" Max asked.

"There are five, the same number of faces carved on that monument. Each time a Hokage retires or - in the worst case scenario - dies, another one takes his place, and the new Hokage's image is added."

"Oh, okay."

There was an uneasy silence, which was broken a few minutes later. "That Tsunade woman said we could explore, right?" Takao asked, stretching his arms upward.

"Yeah…" Rei answered.

"So…where do you guys want to go?"

"I don't know…"

"I was thinking of looking for the different clan compounds…"

"Do you think there's a river near here?"

"Hey," Hiromi cut in suddenly. "Has anyone seen Kai?"

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Leaves rustled as Kai pushed through the bushes and into the Forest of Death. He didn't feel like exploring the city of Konoha with his teammates; he'd already set his mind on training that day, and since circumstances back in Tokyo had prevented that, he decided to go through with the training as planned. He just changed the venue. _Besides_, the slate-haired teen thought as he reached into his pocket and took out his launcher and blade, _there's no one here. And I don't think this place is off-limits to anyone…_

Soon, he began to feel the rush that only Beyblading brought; also, he'd just tweaked his launching method a bit and there'd been a change in Dranzer's attack pattern. He could tell it was a good one, and now he was working on perfecting it so that it required little effort to perform.

"Go, Dranzer!" he shouted, willing his faithful blade on. Though he was normally relatively silent during training, it _had_ been a long time since he'd trained properly. He figured it was all right, though; what was the harm in being a bit verbal?

Apparently…a lot.

"Aah!" Kai exclaimed, stepping backwards; he'd just managed to avoid being skewered through the face! He glanced at the object that had nearly taken his head off; it was a _kunai_, and it had embedded itself in the tree trunk nearby. He walked over to it and quickly pulled it out, then turned around and pulled his scarf up to his face once more.There was a rustle in the nearby bushes, and Kai poised himself to fight.

_Thnkthnkthnk!_

One by one, the _kunai_ lodged themselves into the circular targets, and with a muffled _thump_, Uchiha Sasuke landed gracefully on the forest floor. He straightened up, and then walked over to the targets to retrieve his weapons. He'd been training for nearly an hour now, but he didn't feel like stopping.

Suddenly, his attention was drawn to the nearby clearing, where a subtle whirring sound was emanating from.

_What the-?_ The dark-haired sixteen-year-old went closer, just to check if he was hearing things. _What _is_ that sound?_ He thought, coal-black eyes narrowing suspiciously. He wanted to leap into the clearing and attack whatever was making that sound – it just didn't belong! – but he knew it wasn't the way he ought to go about things. He had to think this through first. Not to mention he wasn't sure if there was anyone in the clearing at all! So Sasuke remained where he was.

That is, until he heard someone call out to someone – or something – else. He couldn't make out the words, but he could tell the voice belonged to no one in Konoha. The raven-haired teen activated his Sharingan in order to pinpoint the person's location, and he found him – or her – almost dead center in the clearing; he didn't know if this was an ally or an enemy, but he could take no chances. Sasuke carefully slipped one _kunai_ into his weapons pouch, then flung the other one through the trees towards his target, holding the remaining one in his right hand.

_Thnk_! Came the sound of a _kunai_ embedding itself in a tree trunk; of course, the Uchiha didn't need to listen for the sound, for he saw with the aid of his Sharingan that his target had been able to dodge his weapon.

Moving into a crouch, he tensed his muscles and then jumped into the clearing. As luck would have it, one of his feet brushed against a bush, creating a slight, but still audible rustle. _Damn!_

He landed, rounding up onto his feet immediately, and nearly gasped. In front of him was what he thought was another ninja, who looked to be around his age or older. But that wasn't the only cause of his surprise. It was his opponent's eyes: they were crimson, too, just as his and his brother's were whenever the Sharinganwas activated.

_A-another Uchiha?_ He thought, trying to keep all emotion, especially shock, from showing on his face. Instead, he rushed quickly at this person, thrusting quickly with his _kunai_. And then he froze; his opponent, whoever he was, was no longer there.

The Uchiha sensed movement to his left and quickly jumped away. The crimson-eyed stranger had moved rather swiftly and attempted to attack him from the side. Now Sasuke was even more confused; why hadn't he been able to sense this movement, as the doujutsuwas supposed to enable him to do?

He jumped backwards, throwing his knife at the teen in front of him. Unfortunately, his opponent's arm moved upwards, deflecting the projectile with the _kunai_ Sasuke had thrown earlier.

"Who are you?" the slate-haired ninja asked, expertly catching the deflected blade before it could fall to the ground.

"I should ask the same of you," Sasuke shot back, bringing two more _kunai_ out the pouch, cursing himself all the while for literally handing his opponent an additional weapon. Moving as quickly as he could, he leapt into the air, once more launching an offensive.

It seemed though, that he and this newcomer were evenly matched, for some strange reason. They moved from weapons combat to _taijutsu_, and the crimson-eyed stranger nearly matched him blow for blow.

And then, suddenly, Sasuke backflipped away from his opponent, performing seals as he did.

"_Katon! Housenkaa no Jutsu!_" Moving as quickly as possible, he threw several _shuriken_ at his opponent, concealing each within a fireball.

Kai's eyes widened as he saw the small but deadly fireballs fast approaching. Then he remembered that Yuriko had used this technique before on her opponent. Smirking beneath the mask, he quickly dodged each fireball as it came, and then moved closer towards his startled raven-haired opponent. He wanted to end this as quickly as possible; this would be the second time today that he'd had to fight someone, and he was getting rather tired of it.

Clutching the _kunai_ tightly, he thrust it at the startled teen…

"Kai! What are you doing?"

Kai stopped short and turned around; his opponent froze in mid-counter.

"Yuriko?" The slate-haired teen stood up straight, dropping his hands to his sides. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Because we told her that you liked going off on your own to train…" Takao replied. Beside him stood the rest of Team BBA

"And I figured you'd come here to the forest; it's practically the only place where you can train with no one to bother you," the amethyst-eyed teen finished as she nimbly leapt above a bush and landed within the clearing. "Anyway, Kai, you haven't answered my question: what were you doing a while ago?"

"You can ask this guy," the crimson-eyed teen replied, gesturing to the raven-haired youth, who had gotten up as well and retrieved the two knives, which Kai had dropped. "_He's_ the one who suddenly launched an attack on me,"

Yuriko peered intently at the teen Kai indicated, and then she went closer to him. "Aren't you…Uchiha Sasuke?"

The brunette's dark eyes widened for a split-second, and then narrowed. "How do you know my name?" he half-whispered.

"Kakashi-_sensei_ showed me a photograph of you and your teammates one time."

Once more, Sasuke started. "You know Kakashi?"

The auburn-haired teen gave a small smile. "I was under his tutelage for a time, but he wasn't my only teacher."

Sasuke was quiet, processing this information. He'd have to ask the masked jounin for confirmation about this. His gaze wandered over to Kai, and then back to the girl in front of him. "And what about your companion there?" he asked, jerking his head in Kai's direction. "Who is he?"

"That's Hiwatari Kai, one of my friends,"

_He's not an Uchiha?_ Sasuke was surprised. If he wasn't – nor was this one related to Kurenai, he sensed – then why the blood-red eyes?

"Well, Sasuke, it seems you've already met our newest companions," Kakashi's cheerful voice suddenly broke in. The dark-eyed teen turned to face his mentor, who was standing behind him.

"Kakashi, this girl claims to know you. Is it true?" Sasuke asked, gesturing towards Yuriko.

The silver-haired man smiled and nodded. "_Hai_."

Sasuke frowned. If this girl was telling the truth, and Kakashi had just referred to her and her friends as their 'newest companions', that would mean they were allies of some sort, and since he had attacked one of them…

The jounin seemed to know what he was thinking; he came up to the teen and laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right, Sasuke; you were only acting on your instincts, and none of you were prepared for their arrival," he said, attempting to reassure the youth.

One by one, Takao, Max, Rei, Kyouju, Hiromi, and Yuriko stepped forward to introduce themselves properly; Kai did not move, purely because he knew he'd been introduced earlier.

"Shall we head back to the village, then?" Kakashi asked, breaking the awkward silence that followed the introduction. "Tsunade-_sama_ told me to look for you to tell you that the preparations are complete."

"So soon?" Yuriko looked shocked. It barely seemed like an hour or two had passed since their first meeting with the Hokage!

Kakashi nodded, still smiling. "Only a few more things were needed, so…"

Sasuke looked puzzled. What preparations? He knew these people were newcomers and allies to Konoha, and usually such were accommodated in the compounds of willing clans or in various apartments found around throughout the city. If that were so, what did Kakashi mean by 'only a few more things were needed'? Did these seven youths suddenly procure their own dwelling? It seemed so improbably that it would happen so, but his curiosity was aroused.

"Kakashi, should I go back, too?" he asked, just as the jounin was about to turn around and lead the seven teens back to the gates. The gray-haired man turned to face him.

"You can stay here and train if you want, Sasuke, but you can also come with us. It's only fair that you know where your comrades are going to stay, right?"

It was an invitation, one that Sasuke pondered for a while. "I guess…I'll go with you," he said after a time.

Kakashi seemed pleased with his decision. "Great! Then when Yuriko and her friends are settled, perhaps you could fetch _your_ friends, Sasuke, and then all of you can get to know each other…"

"Maybe…"

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"But, Sasuke-_kun_, isn't that part of the village supposed to be uninhabited?" Haruno Sakura asked, trying to keep up with the Uchiha's quick strides.

"Yeah! We passed that place before, didn't we, Sasuke? And then Kakashi-_sensei_ said that no one lived there! Why are we going there now?" Blonde, noisy Uzumaki Naruto asked, all in one breath.

"Well, _dobe_, Kakashi said that you guys are supposed to meet up with some newcomers."

"Are they ninjas, too? What level are they?" the azure-eyed teen persisted with his question.

"I've already met them, a while ago in the forest, but so far, I know that only one of them is a ninja – she said she trained with Kakashi and the others before – and another is skilled in various forms of combat, though I'm not sure if he uses any _jutsu._ I don't know about the others."

"How troublesome…" Pony tailed Nara Shikamaru grumbled, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

"Really, now, Shikamaru," Light blonde-haired Yamanaka Ino admonished, her hands on her hips. "We're just going to meet someone, and already you're acting lazy! Geez…"

"It's all right, Shikamaru," Akimichi Chouji said in between handfuls of potato chips. "This _is_ a get-together, after all. No one's asking you to fight anyone."

The shadow-manipulator just grunted in reply. Nearby, the six other chuunin kept silent. Aside from Team 7 and Team 10, there were the Hyuuga cousins Hinata and Neji, sunglasses-wearing Aburame Shino, skilled weapons-user Tenten, extremely wide-eyed Rock Lee, and the man-beast duo Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru.

Soon they arrived at a foreboding looking gate, when suddenly from inside came the unmistakable clang of metal colliding with metal. The twelve teens glanced at each other: were the people they had come to meet under attack? Sasuke quietly slid the gate open; it hadn't been tampered with. They quickly filed inside, and then rushed towards the main house, where the clashing sounds seemed to come from.

"Stop right there, evil intruders! We -" Naruto began as he burst through the front door, and then stopped short. The others crowded around him to see what had made him freeze like that, and their jaws hung open.

Instead of enemies, as they had been anticipating, there were only seven teens – five boys and two girls – there. Two of the boys were standing and the rest were sitting on the padded floor, apparently watching the two who were battling with some strange spinning tops. Were _these_ the ones they were supposed to meet?

Naruto arched an eyebrow. "Who are _you_ guys?"

One of them, the girl with purple eyes and wavy dark brown hair, stood up and came over to him. She stopped around two feet away from the twelve and bowed. "_Konbanwa_. I'm Fujiwara Yuriko." She straightened up, glanced at Naruto and Sakura, and smiled. "Oh! The two of you must be Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura, Sasuke-_san_'s teammates! It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

The blonde reacted almost as Sasuke had, only with less control. "H-how'd you know that?" Naruto practically yelled; he was very freaked out because he didn't know this girl, yet she seemed to know _him_! Sakura just blinked, looking very surprised.

Yuriko continued to smile. "I'm sorry if I shocked you; it's just that Kakashi-_sensei_'s told me about you before, but only in passing."

"Fujiwara-_san_," Sasuke broke in, anxious to get this get-together over and done with. "I'd like you to meet my…comrades." The raven-haired youth was still quite iffy on referring to people as his friends. One by one, he introduced them, and then Yuriko took her turn and introduced the members of Team BBA.

Soon everyone was seated on the floor and the two who had been standing earlier – Rei and Kai, they now knew – were about to put away their blades when Sakura, who was seated quite close to Rei, noticed the strange design in the middle.

"Rei-_san_, what's that?" she asked, pointing to the illustration.

"Huh?" The neko-jin looked confused for a while, and then smiled when he realized the jade-eyed teen was asking about his 'partner' in Beybattles. "Oh, that. That's a picture of Driger, my bit beast."

"A 'bit beast'?" Lee asked, looking puzzled.

"It's something we can call on to help us fight in Beybattles. A Beybattle is something we do with these tops, which are called Beyblades," Max replied, holding up his own blade.

"Basically, we launch it into a stadium, and then start attacking the opponent using it."

"That would account for the metallic sounds we heard earlier?" Shino ventured. He already knew the answer, but felt that if he asked the question, it would clarify things for some.

Takao nodded.

"So…you are the bit thingy's master?" Naruto asked, leaning over and rubbing a finger over the picture of Driger.

"Not really…" Rei replied, reaching for his blade and pocketing it. "We're more of partners; the beast won't attack well if we don't trust and befriend it."

"It's somewhat similar to you and Akamaru, Kiba-_san_," Yuriko added, glancing at the fanged teen.

"So…I'm a bit beast, too?" Akamaru asked suddenly, causing Kyouju, who was sitting next to him, to fall over in surprise.

"The dog talked!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. "Now I've seen everything…"

"Um, yeah, Kyouju, whatever…" Takao piped up. "And…Akamaru, right?" The huge dog nodded, and the dark blue-haired teen continued. "While you _are_ a beast and Kiba's partner in fights and stuff, it doesn't automatically make you a _bit_ beast. Dragoon, Dranzer, Draciel, and Driger aren't what we'd call tangible; they're only light or energy, or something like that."

"Plus, we still need to summon them," Max added. "Because if we called them out of their bits at the start of the battle, it would be too tiresome. This also gives them time to gather their strength. Akamaru, on the other hand, seems to be beside Kiba at all times and doesn't need to be summoned and stuff…"

"You said 'summon', and also something about energy," Naruto cut in. These newcomers were getting interesting. "What seals do you use?"

"We don't use any," the neko-jin replied. "We just have to be 'in sync' with the beast, I guess. It's hard to explain, though; we got so used to doing it that we don't know exactly the step-by-step procedure."

"But how do you control the 'Beyblade', as you call it?" Tenten spoke up. Being a weapons specialist, she'd be interested in this aspect first of all. "You said that you launch it into a…a ring, and use it to attack an opponent's blade. If you're not holding it, how do you make it move the way you want it to?"

"That's the hard part," Max began. "When we started blading, all we had to do was think of what we wanted the blade to do, and it would do it…"

"But later on, it became a bit more physical," Takao added. "Kai, for example, had to move exactly the way he wanted his blade to move, or if it was a special attack – which required Dranzer's energy – he did it through special hand movements, though I'm pretty sure they weren't seals, which Yuriko told us ninjas use for their techniques."

"That sure is complicated," Naruto commented, lying back down on the floor.

"Excuse me, everyone," Hiromi suddenly broke in. Everyone turned to see her standing in the doorway that led to the kitchen and holding a tray. "We thought you guys might like a little snack, so Hinata-_san_ and I fixed up something." She went to join the group, setting the tray on the small side table and then sitting down in the space between Takao and Kai. Soon after that, the shy Hyuuga heir came out of the kitchen, carrying a second tray. She, too, set it on the table and then went to sit back down.

"_Arigatou_," everyone said in unison. Yuriko, who was the nearest one to the table, passed around the small sandwiches the two had made, and then later on, cups of tea.

Everyone fell silent as they began to eat. Kai was the first to finish; he stood up, set his cup back on the plate and then went out, sliding the door shut behind him.

"Is he always like that?" Naruto asked, leaning towards Yuriko. The amethyst-eyed teen smiled apologetically.

"Unfortunately, yes, he is. He isn't exactly the social type…"

"Reminds me of Sasuke…" the blonde muttered. He took a sip of tea and shuddered. "If not for their different family names, I'd say they were related!"

_CRASH!_

"What was that?"

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A/N: Aaaaaargh! This was such a crappy chapter, I just know it! _Gomen..._ ; Anyway, what do you guys think?

Aki: (mumbles) Do I really have to say it?

Mei: Yes! You haven't done anything here for the longest time!

Aki: All right, all right...Read and review_, minna..._

Me: Peace out, and God bless!


	7. Chapter 6: Surprises

A/N: I'm back! Hmm...pretty quick, I must say, compared to my other fics...

Mei: It must be 'cause you're looking forward to finishing this fic while you still have the inspiration for it!

Me: Yeah, that could be it...okay, _minna_, enjoy the fic!

Disclaimer:...do I seem like someone who owns these two anime series? Nope! The idea for the story is mine, though...

oOo

**Chapter 6: Surprises**

_CRACK!_

"What was that?"

Suddenly from outside came the sound of splintering wood, and everyone rushed to the door and slid it open to see what had happened.

There, in the courtyard, stood Kai. His blade was whirling to a stop beside a wooden column, part of the walkway to the west wing of the compound. "_Gomen,_" he said, his voice barely audible, as he retrieved the blade. "I didn't know I had hit it that hard…"

"What were you doing?" Yuriko asked, stepping outside in order to survey the damage. It was minor, yes, but it had to be repaired.

"I was experimenting with different martial arts moves; I knew Dranzer responded to punches and I wanted to see if the same would hold true for kicks."

"Let me guess: the answer's 'yes', isn't it?" Yuriko said, slightly amused. She went over to the post and examined it; it was broken nearly in half, and if nothing were done to remedy it, it would collapse. She sighed and quickly performed the seals she needed for the technique; almost immediately, wood began to form where the column had fractured.

"So she's a wood user…" Neji noted, uttering his first comment since he got there.

"But...that isn't under any of the five elemental chakras..." Tenten added, looking confused. Neji just shrugged.

"There, that should do it." Yuriko said as she stepped back to view her handiwork. As she did so, she spotted something white lying on the ground, went over to it, and bent down to pick it up. She grasped it by one edge. "Oh, Kai, here! You're scarf - Whoa!" she said suddenly, eyes widening in surprise. "Hey, it's…heavy…" she grunted, struggling lift it though she was already using both hands. The slate-haired teen shook his head and went over to her.

"If you can't handle it at first, then don't waste your strength trying to lift it a second time," he said, smirking. Then he reached down, picked it up, and then placed it around his neck once more.

"You're very strong…" Yuriko said, straightening up and blinking away her initial surprise. Kai didn't reply but made his way back towards the house, where all the chuunins - and one jounin - were gathered on the porch, flabbergasted; Chouji even stopped eating his chips when he saw what the crimson-eyed teen had done.

"Lee, he's almost as strong as you!" Naruto half-whispered.

"I know…" the round-eyed teen replied, also in a half-whisper. "And they just said none of them are ninjas, apart from Yuriko-_san_, right?"

"_Hai_."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. This Hiwatari Kai was looking very suspicious right now.

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"Now, now, Sasuke, you're jumping to conclusions here." Kakashi replied, not even bothering to open his one visible eye. It was the day after the 'acquaintance party', and the Uchiha had decided to bring his suspicions to his former mentor. "They couldn't be spies from another ninja country; I helped decide to bring them here, remember? Besides, Yuriko-chan is a student of mine, just like you, Naruto and Sakura were."

"But don't you find it strange what this Kai can do, even though he claims to have had no proper ninja training whatsoever?"

Kakashi sat up, opening his eye to allow him to gaze at the gently rippling water. "True, I find it strange, but there are some things we can't explain, and Kai's abilities are part of them, I guess."

Sasuke sighed, and then sat down beside the jounin.

Suddenly, Kakashi stood up, looking agitated and startling the young Uchiha beside him.

"Kakashi?" Sasuke asked, concerned.

"The compound…" Kakashi muttered. It was as if he had forgotten he had company. And then, like a shot, he was rushing back to the village.

Sasuke hesitated for a while, and then ran after the silver-haired man. _What could have happened?_

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"Hey!" Yuriko called angrily as she gathered energy in her palm. "It's _me_ you want, not _them_! Leave the innocents out of this!"

"Very well…"

It had started off as a normal day for Yuriko and her friends. They woke up, one after the other, had breakfast together, and then decided to go for a stroll around the village. They hadn't had the chance to do so when they arrived the day before, so they thought to make the most out of the free time they had on their hands.

However, while in the marketplace, a handful of innocent-looking bystanders had 'opened fire' on them - that is to say, began to attack them with deadly projectiles both physical and chakral. Fortunately, Yuriko had been able to form a barrier to shield the civilians who hadn't been able to run for cover. And then she had made short work of two of the five assassins; she was now confronting the third assassin, who was threatening to kill one of the shopkeepers. Thankfully, he had forgotten his intended victim when Yuriko challenged him, and the shaken man was able to crawl to safety.

"_Suiton_!_ Mizuken Ha_!" the amethyst-eyed teen yelled, thrusting her hand towards her dark-haired opponent - who stood around ten feet away. Quick as lightning, water jetted out of her hand towards the man. There was a sick wet sound, and when the water disappeared, there was only a bloodied body on the ground; the water had coalesced into a point just before it reached Yuriko's enemy, and pierced him straight through.

"These Shikino are persistent…" Rei observed, leaping nimbly over the toppled stall nearby.

"Yes, regrettably so…" Yuriko replied, turning and heading outside, where she was sure the remaining two were waiting for her.

"Yuriko!"

The auburn-haired girl turned at the sound of someone calling her, and spotted Kakashi running up to her.

"Kakashi-_sensei_!" she exclaimed, startled. "What…what are you-?"

"Are you all right?" The jounin interrupted. Yuriko nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thankfully, so are the civilians who 'accidentally' got in the way."

"It was the Shikino, wasn't it?"

"_Hai_, and there are two more waiting to be dealt with…" Yuriko had no sooner taken a step when something - no, some_one_ fell through the air towards her. Instinctively she jumped backwards to avoid him or her…and saw that it was one of the assassins. She glanced up and spotted Sasuke on the nearby rooftop. Apparently, the man who lay a few feet from her had been trying to launch a surprise attack from the air, but the Uchiha had thwarted his plan.

"Sasuke-_san_!" she called, smiling. "_Arigatou_!"

The raven-haired teen said nothing, and Yuriko shrugged, deciding not to let his attitude bother her.

"Y-Yuriko-_san_!"

Yuriko turned around and saw Hinata running up to her. "Hinata-_san_? What is it?"

The diffident Hyuuga heir looked panicked somehow, a cause for concern for Yuriko. "Y-your friends! They're-"

"Hinata-_san_, calm down, please…" The amethyst-eyed girl smiled and took the distraught girl's hand. "I won't be able to help them if you don't help yourself calm down enough to lead me to them…"

"_Hai_!" Her jaw set, Hyuuga Hinata did what was asked of her. Kakashi and Sasuke followed close behind.

Soon, they were at the northeastern sector of the town, which was one of the main residential areas of the village. Yuriko halted when she saw Kai and his teammates battling around ten more Shikino ninjas. Takao and Max had teamed up to fight one of them, and so had Hiromi and Kyouju; Kai and Rei were dealing two ninjas each, leaving four for Naruto and Sakura - who had happened to be in the vicinity when the fight broke out - to take care of.

"Hiromi, how did you guys get into this mess?" Yuriko asked, rushing up to the ruby-eyed girl.

"Well, back at the marketplace, Rei and Kai both noticed one of the assassins trying to sneak up on you," the dark brown-haired teen replied. "They tried to tackle him, but he ran away and they followed. We followed them, and the guy led us here, where his buddies where waiting for him…"

"And they _attacked_ us!" Kyouju finished, panting as he whacked the ninja on the head with his laptop.

"Whoooooooa!" Naruto suddenly came whizzing towards the three, flailing his arms wildly. Thinking quickly, Yuriko summoned a gust of wind to cushion his fall.

"Hey, thanks, Yuriko-_san_…" Naruto said, looking sheepish. "I lost my head back there when the guy suddenly rushed at me…"

"_Nan demo nai_… But perhaps you guys might need some help…"

"Aaaaaaah!" It was Sakura's turn to scream as she came tumbling towards them, but Sasuke caught her just in time.

"_A-arigatou, _Sasuke-_kun_…." The pink-haired girl mumbled, trying to hide the blush spreading on her cheeks. The Uchiha said nothing in reply, merely setting her down on the ground and then rushing to confront her opponent before he - the Shikino ninja - could go after the others, who were still busy fighting their own opponents.

"Sakura-_san_, Naruto-_san_, if you'll excuse me, I think I'd better help my less-experienced friends…" Yuriko smiled, and then turned and delivered a swift roundhouse kick to Hiromi and Kyouju's opponent; the assassin was immediately knocked to the ground. He tried to get up, but another whack from Kyouju's laptop took care of his semi-consciousness.

"That takes care of one…" Yuriko muttered, noting that Sakura and Naruto had gone to take care of two of the ninjas they had been fighting. "That leaves two more - whoa!" she exclaimed suddenly as she ducked, narrowly avoiding having her forehead skewered on a _kunai_. _Hmm…_she thought as she readied herself to attack, _this is one of the ninjas Naruto-san and Sakura-san were fighting…Perhaps he didn't like being interrupted._

The auburn-haired teen glanced towards the spot where Max and Takao had been fighting off their opponent, and was pleased to see that Hinata had taken over - and was doing a good job of it, too.

Within a few minutes, Yuriko had knocked the ninja unconscious and was contemplating whether to wait on the 'sidelines' or to help her friends. All of a sudden…

"Ack! Max! What were you trying to do?" Hiromi shrieked, causing Yuriko and Kakashi - who had gone to stand beside the amethyst-eyed teen - to turn their heads to look at her. To their surprise, she was quite wet, but not so much that it was obvious at a first glance.

The blonde, too, was looking baffled. "I don't know, Hiromi. I just wanted to help Hinata-_san_. I just rushed at the guy, getting ready to punch him and then… then water just came from out of nowhere!"

"You mean like what Takao's doing now?" Kyouju's voice had risen above those of the other two, a sign that he was truly freaked by what was happening.

"Impossible…" Kakashi gasped when he glanced towards the stormy-eyed teen. Takao was standing in the middle of small whirlwind while around him, the ninja the Hyuuga heir had been battling was whirling around and around, buffeted by the strong winds. It would have made for an awesome scene, save for the fact that Takao was looking scared and bewildered at the storm he'd seemingly created.

"Yuriko-_chan_, you said your friends weren't ninjas!"

"I'm sorry, _sensei_, but I'm just as puzzled as you are," Yuriko replied, not taking her eyes off the spectacle. "And, unfortunately, I don't think they'll be able to explain how they pulled off those attacks…"

Suddenly, there was a crackling sound, and then a strangled cry pierced the air. Almost at the same time, there was a scream of pain and then the sound of sizzling flesh. And then silence.

Yuriko glanced towards where Kai and Rei had been battling the last four ninjas - Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke had defeated their opponents, and the unfortunate ninja who had been caught in the whirlwind was knocked unconscious, too. What she saw shocked her so much that she gave a small gasp.

A few feet away from the two boys lay four huge lumps of some black substance, no longer recognizable as having once been humans. Yuriko ran over to the two.

"Rei! Kai! What did you just do?" she called as she neared them, a mixture of relief, surprise, and horror swelling up inside her.

"I'm not sure…" Rei replied slowly, looking down at his hands. "It's like the lightning just came shooting down from the sky. The strange thing is, it felt like my body was moving on its own…"

"I see…" Yuriko turned to the slate-haired teen beside her. "Kai?"

"Same thing as Rei: my body seemed to be moving on its own." The crimson-eyed teen shrugged; he was trying to look nonchalant, but the auburn-haired girl could see that he, too, was shaken by the sudden display of what seemed to be power so well-hidden none of the four knew they had it in them.

Sakura, Hinata, Sasuke and Naruto had gathered around the silent, masked jounin. "Kakashi-_sensei_, did you see that?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Such p-power…" Hinata whispered, a bit frightened by the intensity of the four's attacks.

"I didn't even see them perform any seals…" Sakura noted.

Kakashi didn't react to any of the chuunins' statements; he glanced at the raven-haired teen standing next to him. _Could Sasuke have been right about these people…?_

"Interesting…" Tsunade commented, getting up from her seat and standing in front of the window, gazing out at the city that lay before her. "Are you absolutely sure that what you saw was real and not some illusion, Kakashi?"

The masked jounin nodded. "_Hai_. Sakura-_chan_ was there, Tsunade-_sama_; she would have been able to tell immediately if it were a illusory technique or not, you know that…"

"Hmm…true." The blonde woman turned to face her visitor, her expression grim. "But then you said that none of the newcomers - except for Yuriko - had had any training in _ninjutsu_. How would you explain, then, what they did back in the northeastern sector?"

The silver-haired man smiled beneath his mask. "Uh…I'm sorry, but I have no explanation for that…And it seems, none of them know how they were able to do so, either; they're quite at a loss on that subject, each claiming that their bodies moved on their own."

"I see…" the fifth Hokage looked thoughtful. For a while, there was only silence, and then Tsunade opened her mouth to speak once more. "What were their names again?"

"Tsunade-_sama_, what are we doing in this dimension again?" Shizune asked, clutching her familiar, Ton-Ton, closer to her in case the small - and adorable - pig got it in her head to suddenly run away.

"To find information not available in the archives." The blonde Hokage said, glancing about her furtively. It was the day after the strange occurrence in Konoha, and Tsunade and Shizune had traveled, via portal, to Tokyo. "And keep your voice down; we mustn't let anyone know we are not of this world."

"_Hai_. But what sort of information are we looking for?" the raven-haired woman asked.

"Earlier, Kakashi told me something of interest concerning four of the seven newcomers." Tsunade replied as she started to walk briskly down the sidewalk. Shizune hurried after her. "I was intrigued when I heard that they four could utilize one element each, and according to their friend Yuriko-_san_, none of them had undergone any ninja training whatsoever."

"I never knew that…" The younger woman looked down at her feet as they alternately slapped the pavement. "…So where are we heading now?"

"The local archives - The Japanese National Library." The amber-eyed _kunoichi_ quickened her pace when she recalled that they still had quite a way to go. Before she and her assistant left the village, Tsunade had asked Yuriko for directions to the library, and learned that the Japanese National Library was located in the central district - more than a few kilometers from the most protected portal. By 'protected', it meant that emergence from that particular wormhole would attract no attention from passersby. "Yuriko-_san_ said that it was the most comprehensive one in this nation."

"I see…"

For quite a while, the two women walked along in silence. Tsunade recalled the directions Yuriko had given her, and recited them in her head; Shizune observed the buildings, the vehicles, and the people that passed by. Presently, the younger woman walked a bit faster in order to walk side-by-side with her companion.

"Tsunade-_sama_, how much further until we reach our destination?"

"It's just ahead." Tsunade replied curtly, and Shizune looked up. She stopped when she saw it, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Tsunade-_sama_," she began hesitantly, frozen in place. "H-how can that long pole be the archive we are looking for?"

"Yuriko-_san_ called it a 'bus stop'. She said we were to ride the next bus to the central district and get off at the third corner from Hizashi Avenue…" the yellow-haired woman frowned slightly. "Strange name for a thoroughfare, though…anyway, she said we'd know we were on it because we would see a street sign. Another shop we were to watch out for is HMV; once we see that, we won't be far from the avenue."

"I'm beginning to wonder how people can live with all these confusing systems…" Shizune commented, bending slightly so she could put Ton-ton down. The small pig stood quite still on the curb, as though she sensed it would be suicidal to run ahead.

A few minutes later, there was a deep rumbling sound from the far end of the street. Both Tsunade and Shizune glanced up towards the source of the noise. The raven-haired woman's eyes widened. "W-what _is_ that?" she asked when she spotted the rather large box-like metal figure of the bus.

"Shizune," the Hokage half-whispered. "Remember we are in a world not our own. Try to blend in."

Shizune forced herself to keep a straight face and calm down. "_Gomen_…is this the 'bus' we are supposed to ride in order to get to this library?"

The golden-haired woman smiled a bit. "It isn't, but the one we're supposed to use looks somewhat similar. I'll tell you when I see it."

"Tsunade-_sama_!" Shizune called, her voice barely above a whisper; her companion heard it nonetheless and came hurrying over.

"What is it?" she asked as soon as she stood beside the raven-haired adult. The pair had arrived at the Japanese National Library around ten minutes ago, and already Shizune had mastered the computer search system available to the public. Tsunade had gone the traditional route and had come up with nothing.

Shizune didn't reply as she read the information on the screen. Tsunade pulled up a chair and began to read, too.

"No way…" Shizune murmured when she finished reading the article. Tsunade, who finished less than a minute later, said nothing in reaction to what she had just read, but the shock shone through her amber eyes.

"Shizune, whose name did you search for?"

"Hiwatari Kai. Then I logged onto the birth records and found this data sheet."

"Do the same for Mizuhara Max, Rei Kon, and Kinomiya Takao." the golden-eyed woman instructed as she pulled her chair closer to her companion's so she could see the screen better.

"_Hai._"

"Kakashi-_sensei_, why did you call us here?" Yuriko asked as she approached the jounin. Kakashi was standing in front of the door leading to the Hokage's office, and in front of him stood Yuriko and the four members of Team BBA. Hiromi and Kyouju had stayed at Yuriko's clan compound, both with the excuse of taking naps.

"Let's just say Tsunade-_sama_ and Shizune discovered something that might be of interest to you." He glanced pointedly at Kai, Max, Rei, and Takao. "Especially _you_ four."

Stormy blue eyes widened. "What? Why us? What did we do?"

The masked ninja smiled beneath his mask. "Oh, no, you didn't do anything. Anything harmful, at least. Hokage-_sama_ just wants to share some information she found with all of you, the four of you in particular."

The rather large oak door swung open just a crack, and a bit of Tsunade's face showed through the gap. "Kakashi, are they all there?"

The jounin nodded, still smiling. "_Hai_. They just arrived."

"Good." Tsunade opened the door wider, a half smile on her face. "Now, why don't you come in? You, too, Kakashi."

In a few moments, everyone was in the room, and the door was closed and locked. Tsunade walked over to her desk and sat down on the swiveling chair. The seven teens were standing in a crooked row in front of her, and the one jounin stood off to the side, leaning against the wall. Shizune and Ton-ton were nowhere in sight.

"First of all, Yuriko, I'd like to thank you for giving me accurate directions to the national library of your adoptive city. Without them, Shizune and I wouldn't have returned as quickly."

Yuriko bowed slightly. "It was no trouble at all, Hokage-_sama_."

Tsunade nodded, acknowledging the young girl's statement. "Second," she continued, turning her attention to Kai and his teammates. "I think we have found an explanation for the techniques the four of you pulled off yesterday."

"Really?" Takao exclaimed, eyes wide with anticipation. "Cool! I'd really like to know where that whirlwind thing came from!"

The incumbent Hokage chuckled, shaking her head. "I can definitely see the resemblance…"

"Resemblance in what?" Takao persisted, growing impatient.

"Takao, calm down…" Rei lightly scolded the younger teen. "Remember, this is the village leader you're talking to; show a little respect…"

"I'll start with a little history," Tsunade went on as though she hadn't heard the interruption. "Listed in the annals of this village are reports of _kunoichi_ - four in total - who have gone missing at some point. The reasons for their disappearance are varied, from being reported missing to dying while on a mission.

"I discovered that these four women had somehow found their way to your world and had gotten married there. What's surprising is that their descendants are standing before me right now…"

A stunned silence hung in everyone struggled to process this piece of information. Yuriko was the first to speak.

"Hokage-_sama_, so what you mean to say is…"

Tsunade nodded. "Exactly. Contrary to what we first thought, Kai, Max, Rei, and Takao are children of Konoha, just like you, Yuriko. Even more shocking, they are related to some of the finest clans here."

"Which ones?" Kakashi asked. He'd taken a sudden interest in the conversation.

"Funny you should ask, Kakashi," the amber-eyed woman glanced at him, still smiling. "Because your nephew is standing right here…"

The masked jounin pinpointed where the Hokage was looking…and then he and Rei locked gazes. One slim gray eyebrow shot up questioningly. "Rei-_san_?"

The neko-jin blinked. "Y-you…you're my…uncle?"

"_Grand-_uncle, actually. Rei, your mother was the daughter of Kakashi's older sister, one of the ninjas reported dead on a mission." She turned to the silver-haired jounin. "Kakashi, you were only a few months old when this happened, so you would know nothing of an older sister.

"Unfortunately, there wasn't much to go on when it came to you, Kinomiya Takao." Tsunade continued. "However, I discovered that your maternal grandmother's name was actually in our archives. Further delving into history revealed that you-"

"He what, Tsunade-_baasan_?" a familiar voice cut in. Amber orbs narrowed, and Tsunade turned to face the offender.

"Uzumaki Naruto, _what_ are you doing in the window?"

The loudmouthed ninja grinned mischievously. "I got bored so I decided to look for Kakashi-_sensei_. I heard he was with you, so I came here!" Without an invitation from the Hokage, Naruto hopped down from the windowsill and into the room, still grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Anyway, Tsunade-_baasan_, why don't you continue with what you were saying? It was getting interesting. So, Kakashi-_sensei_ is actually someone's grand-uncle..." He chuckled. "Hard to believe; he's so young!"

Tsunade shook her head, smiling good-naturedly. "Even three years later, your general attitude still hasn't changed, Naruto. In ordinary circumstances, I would send you out, but since this concerns you, too, in a way, I guess you may stay…"

"Yes!" The black-and-orange clad teen pumped his fist in the air.

"As I was saying before we were interrupted, as it turns out, Takao, you and this loudmouth here are second-degree cousins."

"Right…so he and I are second degree cous-" Naruto stopped short as the message registered. "_NANI_?"

"Tsunade-_sama_ was right…" Max whispered to Yuriko. "They _do_ resemble each other, if attitude is any indication." Yuriko chuckled, putting a hand to her mouth to hide her grin.

"I have a _ninja_ for a second-degree cousin?" Takao looked thunderstruck. "Whoa…Man! The traditional warrior thing is killing me! First, my grandpa is a swordsman, and now I find out about _this_!"

"The same thing goes for you, Max," Tsunade continued, raising her voice above the slight din. That did it. Both Takao and Naruto shut their mouths when they heard the golden-eyed woman mention Max's name.

"_What _goes for Max, too?" Takao asked, glancing at his best friend. Max flashed his famous thumbs-up and grinned.

"Just as you, Takao, are Naruto's second-degree cousin, so is Max a second-degree cousin to Hyuuga Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi."

"Aren't Hinata and Neji the two with the ghostly pale eyes?" Max asked, looking thoughtful.

Tsunade nodded. "Yes, they are. The eyes are typical of members of the Hyuuga clan. However, it's apparent that this trait wasn't passed on to you…"

"Good thing, too!" Takao commented, grinning widely. "I don't know what I'd do if Max had those freaky eyes instead of his blue ones…"

"Yes, well, that brings me to the last person on the list…" Tsunade piped up. "And surprisingly, it's the closest relationship so far." Her amber eyes locked onto Kai's crimson ones, and a small smile formed on the older woman's lips. "However, its quite easy to see it…"

"See what?" Naruto asked. He had flopped onto the nearby cushioned couch, one foot up on the armrest.

"The resemblance between Kai…and Sasuke."

Naruto shot up. "Kai…and Sasuke…are related?" he blurted, eyes wide. "NO WAY!"

Kai's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, Hokage-_sama_?" he asked, imitating Yuriko's form of address.

"Do you recall your mother's maiden name?" Tsunade asked as she turned to the slate-haired teen. Kai shook his head.

"Unfortunately, I don't. All I _do_ remember is that her given name was Masako," he replied in a quiet, controlled voice.

"That's the name Shizune found in the database when she accessed your birth records," Tsunade revealed. "And then we found that Sasuke's father, Fugaku, had had a younger sister named Masako who was reported missing after her last mission."

"What did this other Masako look like?" Kai asked. He knew that there could easily have been around two dozen Masako's in Japan, and any one of them could have been his mother.

"According to the records, Uchiha Masako - her name before she married, of course - had short, dark brown hair and eyes of blue so dark they looked black."

Kai stood quite still when he heard that. The description fit his mother - rather, what he could remember of her - perfectly!

"One more thing," Tsunade added, walking back to her desk and sitting back down. "There may be a few inherent physical traits, such as your crimson eyes, Kai, but of note is the affinity for a certain elemental chakra the four of you display. It is similar to the clans I mentioned.

"The Hatake clan is known for their use of lightning-based chakra; Naruto here is a wind user; and the Uchiha clan is famous for their fire techniques. Unfortunately, I'm not quite sure if the Hyuuga are attuned to any one type of elemental chakra, but I guess we'll find out soon enough."

"So you guys are…" Yuriko began, glancing at the four. Then she smiled and turned back to Tsunade. "Hokage_-sama_, I think you didn't call us here just for this announcement; there's something else, isn't there?"

"_Hai_. Yuriko, I want you to help them master and control their respective chakras."

"M-_Me_?" Amethyst eyes widened. "But…but _why_?"

"First of all, you've already established some sort of bond with them, right?" Yuriko nodded slowly, and Tsunade continued. "Second, since your bloodline limit allows you to use all five elements, I figure you'd make the best teacher for them."

"But-"

"That will be all." The amber-eyed woman said curtly. "You may go."

Kakashi walked over to the group, smiling reassuringly. "Well, everyone, you heard Hokage-_sama_; let's go." Gently he ushered the six teens towards the door, nodding his thanks to Tsunade before going out himself and closing the door behind him.

"Well, that was quite a surprise wasn't it?" The masked jounin asked cheerfully once he was out in the corridor with the group.

"I'll say!" Naruto replied, still grinning. He folded his arms behind his head and began to walk. "Looks like I've got family of sorts now…"

"Yeah, finding out something new about yourself is always nice," Takao added, glancing down at the floor and then rubbing his stomach. "But I think the shock of it all has made me hungry all of a sudden."

"Come to think of it, I could use a nice big bowl of ramen myself…" Naruto said, reaching into his pocket and bringing out his green frog wallet. "See you, guys! Ichiraku Ramenya, here I come!" With that, the blonde chuunin was off like a shot.

"Naruto! Wait for me! I'm coming, too!" Takao called, running after the fast-disappearing ninja.

"It isn't just the chakra they have in common," Yuriko commented. "Even the eating habits are the same…"

Everyone laughed at that, and then they started walking down the hall.

Just outside the window of the office the group had just left, a dark figure crouched, and then sprang up, landing silently on the roof of a nearby building. Obsidian eyes narrowed. "So…we _are_ related, after all…"

oOo

A/N: Bet you didn't see _that_ coming! Or maybe you did and your suspicions were confirmed! XD Anyway, please let me know what you think...Oh, and I edited Yuriko's attack from 'Mizuken Hame' (Water Sword Blast) to 'Mizuken Ha' (Water Sword Wave').

Dewa mata! Peace out and God bless!


	8. Chapter 7: Training

A/N: Uh...has anyone been reading this story lately? Kono kotae wa 'hai', onegai omatase shimashita (If the answer is 'yes', then I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting)...

Aki: Gee...for once, I'm impressed. You managed to put together a whole sentence -

Me: Hey! Watch the implied insults!

Aki: - without having to think too much about it...

Me: Oh.

Disclaimer - Mei: Sorry, Kari-_chan_ owns neither Naruto nor Bakuten Shoot Beyblade G-Revolution. They belong to their respective owners, Aoki-_sensei_ and Kishimoto-_sensei_.

Me: Who happens to share my birthday! XD Wheee!

oOo

**Chapter 7: Training**

"Takao…Takao? It's time to get up…Takao, are you listening to me?"

"Mmm…" the stormy-eyed teen mumbled, turning onto his side and snuggling into his pillow. "Go away…"

For a while, it seemed that the annoying voice had indeed gone, and Takao relaxed. The voice had been bothering him for around five minutes now.

"TAKAO!" Hiromi's voice was little less than a shriek, and it sounded _a lot_ closer to his left ear than was comfortable. The dark blue-haired teen shot up in bed.

"Hiromi, will you cut it out?" he whined, rubbing the affected ear. "I'm trying to sleep here!"

"I think that's enough sleeping for now," Yuriko said as she came in, dressed in dark blue shorts, a black short-sleeved top and the shoes Takao had seen most of the ninjas wore. Apparently she had heard the short conversation. "You know, Kai, Max, and Rei are outside all ready, and we're just about to leave for the Forest of Death. That's where we're going to train."

"We're starting _this _early in the morning?" Takao blurted, his jaw hanging open.

"It's not exactly early, Kinomiya…" Hiromi cut in, pointing at the bedside clock. "It's already half past nine."

"Oh."

It was barely even a week after Takao and his teammates discovered their inherent abilities. For a while, Yuriko had postponed the start of the training, saying that she wasn't ready to teach anyone yet. But it seemed that she had finally gotten over that.

Takao groaned. There was no getting out of it if it wasn't as early as though. "Fine, fine...I'm up now. Happy?" He got up, looking none too pleased about it.

Yuriko grinned. "Well, you'd better get dressed then. Five minutes, okay?" With that, the amethyst-eyed teen turned and left the room.

Hiromi made to follow the other girl out of the room, but then turned to the stormy-eyed teen and smirked. "Better change quick, Takao. You know how Kai gets when someone isn't punctual..."

"Yeah, yeah...now could you get out?" Takao said irritably. "I can't change when a girl's in the room!"

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"So, you're finally awake." Kai noted, glancing up as Takao came through the bushes and into the clearing where his teammates had been waiting.

"Hey, at least I got here fairly early..." Takao grumbled.

"Well, now that we're _all_ here," Yuriko interrupted, anxious not to start a fight between the two, "how about we start with some of the basics? What I mean is how to use the various weapons available to a ninja, and then after that, we'll move to basic chakra control."

"Aw, do we _have _to start with the basic weapons stuff?" Takao interrupted. "I mean, that's so _easy_; _anyone_ could throw a _shuriken_ or _kunai_."

The amethyst-eyed teen cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, really? All right, then..." she walked over to the stormy-eyed teen and handed him a small pouch.

"What's this for?" Takao held up the small cloth bag, eyeing it suspiciously. Yuriko didn't reply, but handed similar bags to Rei, Max, and Kai. Then she walked towards the opposite edge of the clearing, chose a tree, and then attached a portable target to it, around halfway up the trunk.

"Okay, everyone, in those bags I just gave you are several _shuriken_ and _kunai_." Yuriko began, standing next to the target. "I want you to try and hit as close to the center of the target as possible. Even just hitting the black outer circle will do, since you're still learning. Let's start with the _shuriken_, shall we?"

Takao guffawed. "Ha! We'll be done in no time!" Still chuckling, he brought out two _shuriken_ from the pouch in his hand. Beside him, his teammates took _shuriken_ out of their bags, too.

Yuriko smiled. "Ready?" At a collective nod from the four teens, she took several steps to the side, and then said, "Takao, you go first."

The dark blue-haired teen smirked and moved so that he was standing several feet in front of the target. "Watch and learn..." he mumbled. Taking a left fighting stance, he held one of the _shuriken_ in his right hand. He slowly under his breath, releasing the small weapon on the third count.

"_WHAT_?" he exclaimed, horrified, when the _shuriken_ embedded itself in the tree to the right of targeted one. Noticing the smug look on Yuriko's face, he frowned and then took up the stance once more, holding the second _shuriken_ in his right. He repeated what he had done earlier, only with a less angled launch. It did little to improve the outcome, though; his second attempt found its way into the wood roughly a foot and a half _above_ the target.

Yuriko cocked her head to the side, amused. "Nice try, Takao. Your stance is fine, but it's your launch technique that needs work. Okay, Max, you're next."

The blonde nodded, looking nervous. This was not lost on the auburn-haired girl, and she smiled at the blue-eyed teen. "Don't worry; you'll manage."

Once more, Max nodded, a bit more confident now, and took Takao's place. He took a front preparatory stance and held one _shuriken_ in his right hand, the other in his left. The right hand was in place slightly above the left shoulder. After a moment's pause, he threw his arm forward, releasing the _shuriken_ when his forearm was at a forty-five degree angle with his upper arm.

_Thnk!_ The weapon embedded itself a few centimeters above the target. Yuriko nodded, pleased. "Nice. Try again. This time, try to lower the height at which you release the _shuriken_."

Max complied, and was rewarded with the _shk!_ of the blade piercing the cloth covering of the target. Takao looked flabbergasted; Rei looked proud of his friend; Kai was...well, he looked uninterested; and Yuriko was grinning broadly.

"_Very_ good! Max, you're closer to mastering this than you realize."

Ocean blue orbs lit up. "Really?"

Yuriko nodded, still smiling. "Really. Rei," she continued, turning the the neko-jin, "why don't you have a go. After you, Kai will take his turn."

"All right," the amber-eyed teen acquiesced, standing in the same spot Max and Takao had occupied. He copied the blonde's stance and launch technique, both _shuriken_ successfully embedding themselves in the target, but not as near to the bull's eye as Yuriko would have liked. The amethyst-eyed girl kept it in mind, however, that the four were beginners in this aspect of their training, and she would have to lower her standards somewhat, and complimented the Chinese teen accordingly.

"Kai, you're up."

Without a word, the slate-haired teen took his place. He stood quite still, a _shuriken_ in each hand. And then, suddenly, he let both of them fly through the air, one after the other, towards the target. Seconds later...

_Shk! Shk! _

Both of Kai's _shuriken_ had found their way to the target were embedded in the bull's eye, practically side-by-side.

Max and Rei were wide-eyed with awe, while Takao just looked more flabbergasted than usual. Yuriko was impressed, to say the least.

"Kai...that was...amazing..." she said, somewhat breathlessly. "How did you-"

"Practice." The crimson-eyed teen replied, somehow knowing her question before she could finish asking it. "Only I'm more accustomed to throwing pocket knives."

"That would explain your prowess..." Yuriko murmured. And then she glanced up excitedly. "Perhaps you could help Takao with his projectile training; he needs _a lot_ of help. I'll take Rei and Max since their technique just needs a few adjustments, and then when they've got it, they can work on their own and I'll come help _you_ help Takao. Is that all right with you?"Kai looked thoughtful for a few minutes, and then, at last, gave a small smile and nodded his head slightly. "But you'd better be quick about it," he added, looking a little bit annoyed. "I don't think I could stand having to deal with the numbskull for very long..."

Yuriko chuckled and agreed, walking over to Rei and Max after doing so, while Kai approached Takao to tell the dark blue-haired teen what had decided.

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"Don't you think Tsunade-_baasan_ was joking?" Naruto said suddenly. The blonde chuunin had managed to persuade Kakashi into treating him to a meal (at the Ichiraku Ramenya, of course). Though it had been nearly a week since he and the silver-haired man had been told of their - for lack of a better term - newfound relatives, he still hadn't been able to put the doubt out of his mind. What if there'd been some sort of mistake?

The masked jounin's eye crinkled, indicating that he was smiling. "Still on about that, I see...Well, I have to admit that I was surprised, and I thought it was a joke. You should know, Naruto, it isn't like Tsunade to make things up. I could see it in her eyes; she was serious about it." He paused for a while, picked up his bowl, and held it to his lips, swallowing the last of the savory soup. "I suspect that we'll soon be called to explain things to Sasuke, and then later on to assist Yuriko-_chan_ in training those four."

"Hmm..." Naruto replied, also draining the last of his soup. He didn't know what else to say. It had been shocking, to say the least, to learn that he had relatives. In the past, he'd often wondered what it would be like to have some semblance of family by his side, and now here it was, in the form of a boy fifteen years old - one who was his age, yet knew nothing of the world of ninja - and he, Uzumaki Naruto, had no idea how to react to such an occurence.

"Kakashi-_sensei_, why _did_ you bring them here?" the blonde asked suddenly. He remembered only then that he had no idea what the group was doing in Konohagakure.

Kakashi sighed. "Well, do you remember those times when I or the other jounin team leaders would be gone for days at a time, yet spoke not of any missions?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I remember. What does that have to do with their being here?"

"Plenty. As Yuriko said, she was a student of mine-"

"Then what was she doing in that other dimension, or wherever she came from?"

"Because if she had stayed here, she wouldn't even be alive. Like Sasuke, she is the only survivor of her clan's massacre."

The azure orbs grew wide. "_What_? Yuriko's clan was massacred, too?" Kakashi nodded slowly. "But _why_?"

"It was because of their bloodline limit."

"_That's _the reason?" Naruto looked skeptical. "What was so special about it?"

"In essence, their bloodline limit made them the most versatile and most skilled - and, in effect, most deadly and feared - ninja clan in Konohagakure. The other villagers, excluding other more prominent clans, regarded them warily, but that gradually changed. Their assistance proved great in ending the Ninja War. It was also this that led to the massacre.

"Another clan, one that disaffiliated itself from Konohagakure long ago, became jealous of Yuriko's clan, so they sought to kill all its members. There was to be no discrimanation; even the youngest was to be killed. This clan - the Shikino - are probably the only clan of darkness-based _jutsu_ users."

"Doesn't being able to use darkness already make you the deadliest?" Naruto was confused. "I don't think there's any element that can defeat darkness on its own."

"That's what made the Shikino jealous of Yuriko's clan. I'm sorry if I've been beating around the bush. Anyway, Yuriko's _kekkei genkai_ allows her to control all five elements. That's something like Haku's bloodline limit - recall that he can control wind and water simultaneously - only on a larger scale. So, in effect, Yuriko's clan were the only ones who could hope to defeat the Shikino if ever they decided to attack the village.

"This clan was rather ambitious; they all dream of usurping the power over the Fire Nation, but they can't do it while one of Yuriko's clan is still alive."

"You said she's the only one left, right?" Naruto asked quietly. At another nod from his mentor, he clenched his fist tightly. "Then that means...those guys we fought in the northeastern sector were-"

"Yes. Shikino assassins sent to kill her. Of course, they met with more than a little trouble. Anyway, back to your question. Kai and his friends are here because they witnessed her fighting several assassins, _and_ they know of her background. More likely than not, they'd know where she lived, too. Kurenai, Asuma and I brought all of them here as a safety precaution. If we had brought only Yuriko here and left her friends in Tokyo, the Shikino would have tried to get information out of those six young people. Judging from their general attitude, they would never give their friend away, and would have been killed for their loyalty.

"The same thing happened to Yuriko-_chan_'s adoptive parents when she was only five. The year later, she began her training as a ninja. At the rate she learned things, she would have given Sasuke a run for his money!"

Naruto chortled. "Then its a good thing she didn't train here; if not, Sasuke would be competing with her, and then what would happen if he lost to her?"

"Better keep your thoughts to yourself, especially if you're not sure the one concerned isn't around, Naruto."

The blonde chuunin almost leapt straight through the roof of the ramen shop in surprise. "S-SASUKE!" he sat up, rubbing his head where it had grazed the counter. He narrowed his eyes at the Uchiha. "How long have you been standing there, anyway?"

"Long enough to learn the whole story." Sasuke approached and took a seat, resting his elbows on the counter. "So...Yuriko possesses that unique bloodline limit, huh? I've heard about it, but I never knew it actually existed."

"Well, now you do," Kakashi smiled.

"Yeah, I do. And it turns out that Hiwatari Kai is my long-lost cousin. It's been one surprise after another..."

"Yes, Kai is your-" The silver-haired jounin stopped short, and then blanched. "Wait...You already know about that?"

Sasuke nodded. "I had my suspicions, and Tsunade-_sama_ proved them right."

"But, Sasuke-" Naruto began, but the raven-haired teen beat him to the punch. "I know, Naruto. After hearing about Yuriko's skill as a ninja, I should be steaming with anger and determination, or going off to train, and you're wondering why I'm not doing any of those.

"Well, being strong enough to defeat Itachi is the least of my worries now; that man is looking like the most compassionate ninja compared to them. After hearing about the Shikino, Akatsuki is the least of our worries. Remember, they've already discovered where Yuriko is staying _and_ they've been wanting power for who knows how long. We should be preparing for when - and if - they decide to launch an all-out attack against her _and _the village, not worrying about being able to defeat only one guy."

Naruto and Kakashi were speechless.

"Wow..." the latter remarked, after what seemed like hours. "Sasuke...that was...a very mature thing you said just now..."

"Well, it's the truth." The Uchiha said, practically waving away his mentor's compliment. Let's just say you guys taught me a lot when trying to persuade me to leave Orochimaru and return to Konohagakure."

Naruto blinked, and then launched himself at his teammate, knocking him to the ground.

"Uwah! Naruto, what the _hell_ are you doing?" Sasuke exclaimed, struggling to disentangle himself from the 'embrace', if you could call it that. Naruto's response was to grab the dark-haired teen's shirt collar and bring their faces closer together.

"What did you do with the _real_ Sasuke, you impostor?" he asked, trying to look as intimidating as possible. "The Sasuke I know would never say things like that, not so directly,"

Sasuke reached up and smacked him on the head, sending him to the ground. "I _am_ Sasuke, you _usuratonkachi_," he remarked, scowling. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and gave a small smile. "The ease in which I sent you to the ground just now proves it,"

Naruto leapt back up, his fists clenched. "Yeah, you're Sasuke all right...and are you implying that I'm an easy opponent?" He added, incensed by the other's remark.

"You said it, not me," the dark-eyed teen smirked, and then began to walk off.

"What did you-" Naruto's eyes narrowed dangerously, and then he began to run after Sasuke. "Get back here, _teme_! You're going to pay for that!"

Kakashi chuckled as he watched the scene unfolding. "Those two..." he muttered, shaking his head good-naturedly. "Never a dull moment when they're together..."

00000000000000000000000000

_Shk!_

"_Yatta_!" Yuriko exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight. "Max, Rei, that was _great_!"

The neko-jin grinned uneasily, and the blonde looked embarrassed. "It's not _that_ good..."

"Well, you and Rei improved so quickly in just a matter of _hours_! It takes rookies more than a _year_ to be able to throw _shuriken_ properly and have it hit the target just milimeters from the exact center of the bull's eye," Yuriko grinned broadly. "Well, that takes care of the hard part; you guys should have no trouble using the _kunai_." The auburn-haired girl positioned herself several feet in front of the target and took out the weapon from her bag. "It uses the same principle as throwing the _shuriken_, only you hold it differently and you have to apply a bit more force." She went into a back stance, ready to give them an example, but before she could demonstrate, a shrill scream cut through the relative silence surrounding them.

Within seconds, she, Rei, and Max were joined by Takao and Kai, and then the five of them were running through the forest and back towards the clan compound, where they were sure the scream had come from.

_I hope it's not what I think it is..._ Yuriko thought, glancing at her friends out of her peripheral vision. _Please..._

o0o

A/N: So, what did you think? Onegai dakara, oshiete (Please tell me,)...I'd really like to know.

Dewa mata! Peace out and God bless!


	9. Chapter 8: Threat

A/N: Konnichiwa, minna! Hikari's back with a new chapter! Sorry it took so long; I had to work on part of my project proposal for English. The good news is, we could choose any topic that interested us...and I chose _ninjutsu_! Wheee!

Anyway, enough of my drabble. On to the fic!

Disclaimer: Shame on you if you don't know by now...

* * *

**Chapter 8: Threat**

"Hiromi! Kyouju!" Yuriko called as she skidded into the main hall of the compound. Kai and his friends followed seconds after. Amethyst irises darted left and right, apprehensive, searching. Nothing.

"What happened?" Kai asked quietly, eyes travelling from one end of the hall to the other, searching as well.

"I'm...not sure..." Yuriko replied, one foot in front of the other. On butterfly feet, she made her way down the hall, entering the first room she came to. Moments later, she was out again, traversing the length of the hall in this manner. Slowly, carefully, so as not to startle any intruder present.

"I'll check the east hall," Takao volunteered. No answer, yet the eager teen took it as a 'yes'. In seconds, he was out the door. From somewhere that seemed very far off, the _shouji_ slammed open, but did not shut. There were somewhat loud footsteps. Yuriko winced as the sounds assaulted her eardrums; so sudden was the disturbance to the silence. If there was indeed an enemy within the compound, he or she was most surely alert to their presence now.

At length, she found herself in the last room off the main hall. Trepidation mounting at what she might find, she slid the door open slowly; quiet as a shadow, slipped inside. Max was checking the rooms she herself had gone into previously; Rei had gone outside, perhaps, to tell Takao not to make so much noise. And Kai...inwardly, the auburn-haired girl shrugged. Right now, surprisingly, she found she couldn't care less where the slate-haired teen was; what she wanted to know was whether the more vulnerable members of their small group were all right or not.

Closing her eyes briefly, taking deep, slow breaths, she ventured further into the room. This was slightly larger in comparison with the other rooms along the hall. And then, a gasp, and her head whipped around to face the source of the sound.

It was Hiromi. Cowering next to her was Kyouju, large glasses askew where they sat on his forehead. Yuriko heaved a sigh of relief and knelt in front of the pair.

"What's wrong?" she asked gently, laying a pale hand on the other girl's. Concern shone through the amethyst orbs just as fear and confusion twinkled in the ruby ones.

Mute, Hiromi raised a trembling hand, index finger extended, pointing to the opposite corner of the room.

Lifting her gaze, Yuriko noticed, for the first time, that the window had been broken, something heavy thrown through them. And then, her eyes following the path the frightened girl's finger had dictated, she spotted, half-hidden in the stifling dimness of the room, something rather large, its fur dark brown or black. It's back was to them, facing the corner. A dog, perhaps, or a giant _tanuki_, if there were any in the forest beyond. She recalled vaguely that there were quite a lot of those back in her adopted home in Tokyo. She approached it, touched its hide uncertainly.

She drew back, a loud gasp torn from her throat. Whatever this animal was, it no longer moved, no longer breathed. Dead. Blood ran from it's mangled throat, had pooled near the wall. She turned back around to face the pair, eyes wide.

"How did this...get in here?" She fought to keep the fear from her voice.

"It...it just c-crashed through th-the window..." Kyouju stammered, taking his glasses and cleaning them on his shirt. A nervous reaction, Yuriko realized.

"You didn't see who did it?"

Both shook their heads. No, they hadn't. Yuriko sighed, then turned back to the animal. She blinked, noticing something she hadn't before. Seeming to quiver ever so slightly in a phantom breeze, the handle of some small weapon, possibly a _kunai_, stuck up from out of the mammal's neck, seeming darker than the shadows surrounding it. At the point where blade met flesh, there was a small cloth pouch, little less than three-and-a-half inches in width. Nondescript, yet it drew Yuriko's attention to it as readily as if it had been an elaborate painting.

Slowly, she detached the blade from the body. The pouch slid to the floor, emitting no sound as it settled on the wood. A small cloth was produced and Yuriko wiped whatever blood there was off of the _kunai_, and then tucked it into her weapons bag. Might as well use it, since it was so easily acquired. She eyed the small pouch warily before picking it up and undoing the small, thin grass rope that held it closed. Taking a deep breath, she reached the first two fingers of one hand through the opening. There was a crinkle of paper, and she withdrew her fingers, taking the contents of the bag out as she did so.

Now she held a small piece of rice paper. It had been folded twice, the first along the vertical, then the horizontal. Both folds had been precisely down the middle. She unfolded it. It was only around five inches square.

She gasped again and dropped the paper. She was breathing hard now.

"Yuriko?" Kai peeked in. "Have you-" he noticed Hiromi and Kyouju, and then fell silent. "I see. What happened that made at least one of them scream?" he asked, stepping into the room. Before he was fully in the room, however, Yuriko brushed past him, a frenzy of pattering feet resounding back up the hallway. A low sound, indicative of wood on wood, and then a _shk_ as the _shouji _slid shut.

Kai stood there, unmoving, trying to come up with a plausible explanation for Yuriko's sudden actions. There was another patter of feet, louder this time, announcing the arrival of Rei, Max, and Takao.

"What's wrong with Yuriko?" Rei asked, concerned, stepping into the room beside the slate-haired teen.

"She looked like she'd seen a ghost," Takao added, settling into a cross-legged position on the floor rather noisily.

Max opened his mouth to say something, then spotted the dark shape in the corner. "What's that?"

Takao made to move closer to it, to get a closer look, when he felt something launch itself at his chest. It was Hiromi. She was sobbing, frightened. In need of comforting human contact. A few paces behind her, Kyouju sat, arms around his knees, still trembling slightly. Perhaps he was feeling better, they couldn't know for sure. Takao sighed and rubbed Hiromi's back, somewhere in between the shoulder blades, trying to soothe her.

"We're all here now, Hiromi," he said quietly. "You and Kyouju are safe..."

* * *

"This _is_ serious..." Kakashi muttered, eyeing the sheet of rice paper Yuriko held out to him. "How did you find this again?"

"It was...in a pouch. Whoever sent this...stuck a _kunai_ through the cord of the pouch and...into the animal's neck before heaving it in through the window, scaring Hiromi and Kyouju in the process..." The amethyst-eyed girl replied between gasps for air. She had run from the compound all the way to this field, where she knew she'd find the silver-haired jounin; she had yet to recover from the tiring trip.

Kakashi gently slid the sheet of paper out of Yuriko's fingers, holding it up so he could examine it more closely. In the center of the twice-folded sheet was a circle inscribed in black ink. Around it were nine smaller circles, also in black. Inside the black circle, in red ink this time, was the ideogram for the _komuso_. His single visible eye widened briefly, then narrowed once more. He sighed once more, unsure now whether his had been a good decision or not, to bring the seven young ones here.

"And...this animal," he continued. "What did you say it looked like?"

"I couldn't be sure, _sensei_, but its fur was dark, and blood had pooled on one side. I'm certain that these are the signs I have been warned against, but-"

"But they have shown themselves, I am afraid..." Kakashi stood up, sighing once more. It wasn't sadness; there was no cause for the emotion, he knew. It was, he felt, a resignation. He turned to face the auburn-haired teen.

"Yuriko, I know you've just begun to teach your friends the basics," he began, giving a small smile. "But perhaps it's time to teach them how to control their newfound abilities..."

Purple orbs widened. "But, Kakashi-_sensei_-"

"I know. You can't teach all of them at once, since each identifies with a different element, correct?" The smile on the jounin's face grew wider. "Tsunade-_sama_ has already instructed me to get ready in case I was called upon to help you train your friends. Plus several chuunin - and jounin, if needed."

"I...see..." Yuriko looked down at her lap. "But wouldn't that mean explaining circumstances to them? Well, to all but one, who already knows their situation..."

"At some point, yes, it does. Also, Sasuke knows about his relation to Kai now."

Yuriko nodded slowly, and then comprehension hit. She glanced up quickly. "_What_? How did he find out?"

"Apparently, he was eavesdropping the day Tsunade-_sama_ revealed the information...Curiously, I never noticed his chakra signature in the area..." He reached up gloved hand, scratched his head as though in confusion. "I was probably excited by the news..."

The amethyst-eyed teen lay back, spreadeagled on the grass. Waving one hand, she generated a breeze, just light enough to wash over her and Kakashi, chasing away the heat that descended upon them. She breathed deeply, and then smiled. "That's probably what happened, _sensei_; it sounds _just_ like you..." A giggle, and then she fell silent and closed her eyes. She imagined - tried to imagine - if she'd been like any other girl, with now fantastical powers and abilities. What would have happened, then?

She sighed. It all seemed so boring in her mind's eye. Perhaps it was better this way, death threats and all.

* * *

Dark.

It was so dark. And cold. The breeze blowing didn't help matters any.

Slowly, Sasuke got to his feet, glancing about warily, bringing a hand closer to the high neck of his shirt. He clenched the fingers about the material, tightening the loose collar against the biting wind.

_This doesn't look like any place I've ever been to..._ he thought, brow furrowed. _And how in Kami's name did I get here? And _where_ is 'here', exactly?_

"So...she has recieved the message." A deep, rolling voice somewhere to his left, sounding uncomfortably close. Sasuke turned, startled momentarily. There were two men, only feet away from where he was standing, yet it seemed that they'd taken no notice of him. Both looked to be in their late twenties to early forties, and one of them, with dark brown hair, was kneeling in front of his companion, who remained standing. It was this one who had spoken.

The man who was kneeling glanced up, smirking. "Yes, Shinichi, she has. True, it was two of her companions who saw the animal first, but the warning itself, so far, is known only to her-"

"No, not only she, Shinji." The man called Shinichi cut in, eyes closed. "If what Eiji and Keitaro have observed is correct, than its possible that her old mentors, and even the village head knows of the warning we have sent."

Curiosity got the better of the young Uchiha, and he stepped closer. _Who are these people? What warning are they talking about?_

"You're sure of this?" Shinji asked, finally standing up and looking his companion in the eye.

"There is a great possibility."

"If that's the case, then we'll have to act quicker, won't we?"

Shinichi smirked. "Of course..." A dark chuckle then escaped his throat. "We shall strike when least expected; that Yuriko will perish, and her clan's legacy with her. And then...we'll be free to take over Konoha!"

* * *

Sasuke awoke with a start. His breathing was ragged, and a cold sweat was starting to break out on his forehead. Shuddering inwardly, he brought a hand to his face to wipe away the moisture, at the same time recalling the dream he had.

_But what kind of dream was that?_ he wondered, staring off into the distance. He'd gone into the forest to train, and had probably fallen asleep when he lay down on the ground to rest afterwards. _In the dream...those two men had names. That's not how dreams work; they're supposed to be only memories, and I know that I haven't seen those guys in my entire life!_

Then it hit him. He had read about dormant ninja abilities while still in the Academy. They were called 'dormant' because they rarely manifested themselves in individuals. Among them was a form of clairvoyance where the user didn't see just the future, but if they wished, the present as well.

Had that dream sprung from that ability? Sasuke didn't know. Hell, he didn't even know if even _had_ that type of clairvoyance.

The implications of what he'd just seen didn't escape him however, and he quickly got to his feet.

_I have to find out if this 'warning' exists_... he thought, making his way towards the gates. _And if it does..._

He gulped, the possibility threatening to overwhelm him. _If the warning _does_ exist...then..._

_Konoha must prepare for war.

* * *

_

A/N: _Saa, kono chapter wa owari, minna _(Okay, this chapter's over, everyone). Let me know what you think, all right? Thanks to Sherbet Mayhem for checking this fic out; we novice writers need more serious reviewers like you! _Domo arigatou gozaimashita_, Sherby-_sama_! A big "thank you!" also to those who've stuck with this fic this far; we really appreciate it!

Oh, I also changed the names of the two 'mystery men'. Rael-Lirdu, hope you find this more comfortable now…and the ruler thingy works now! LOL! (I get excited over the lamest things...so kiddish... ;)

_Mata atode, minna!_ Peace out and God bless!


	10. Chapter 9: Disaster!

A/N: Wooh! I'm updating! Geez, that was fast... o.O Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter!

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy reading this just as I enjoyed typing it...(sniggers)

**Chapter 9: Disaster!**

"Sasuke, are you sure of this?" Kakashi asked, sitting up when he heard what the Uchiha had 'seen'.

The onyx-eyed teen nodded. "Kakashi, I'm sure of only a few things in my life, and this is one of those."

"But...seeing something like that...that could have taken place anywhere in this country or even in others...that ability hasn't manifested itself for quite some time now..." The silver-haired jounin frowned. "In fact, it might be safe to say that it's impossible for such power to exist in these times..."

"Kakashi, I know what I saw!" Sasuke tried to keep himself from yelling. He knew - learned as time passed - that it was his quick temper that usually got him into trouble, if only occasionally, and he fought now to keep it under check. He took a deep breath and began again.

"Look, I know that I saw two guys, Shinichi and Shinji, and I was close enough to hear what they were talking about. They mentioned something about Yuriko-_san_ getting a warning of some sort, and that since you and the other instructors probably knew about it by now, they'd have to move faster in order for them to succeed at whatever it is they have planned. This included the take-over of Konohagakure and Yuriko-_san_'s eventual death."

The jounin's single eye widened when he heard this. "How did you know Yuriko recieved a warning?"

Sasuke sighed. "I _told_ you, I heard Shinichi and Shinji - whoever they are - talking about it. They mentioned two others who had been observing Yuriko. I think their names were Eiji and Keitaro...anyway, is it true? Did Yuriko get this warning or something?"

Kakashi stood up and clapped a hand on his former student's shoulder. "All right, Sasuke, you've convinced me. Perhaps this 'clairvoyance' - let's call it that for now - _is_ true. Yes, Yuriko did recieve a warning earlier this afternoon, but only she and I know about it. Well, you somehow learned of it, but you don't know what it looks like, do you?"

Without waiting for any answer, the masked man reached into one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a small folded sheet of rice paper. "Since you know of it, you might as well learn of its nature, too..." he continued, carefully unfolding it.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he took in the dark circles, the scarlet ideogram. "Black...and red..." he glanced up, into his former mentor's eyes. "Didn't you say that those two colors are 'the most ominous when combined'?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yes. It is the crest of the most elite of the Shinoki clan. Those who wear it are the most skilled - and most deadly - of their brothers. I'd say they're probably getting desperate..."

Sasuke was silent. Now he knew this part of the 'dream' was true. By all accounts, that would mean that the threat to Konohagakure was probably very real as well...

0000000000000000000000000

"Can someone remind me why we're here?" Takao asked, yawning. "And why so early? It's only five AM!"

Only a few days had passed since their first training session in the basics; Yuriko still hadn't told her companions about the warning she'd recieved that day, simply because she knew it didn't concern them. And she didn't _want_ it to concern them. On this day, she'd woken Kai and his teammates early and brought them to the woods behind her clan's compound.

"Certain events have prompted an increase in the pace of your training." Yuriko replied, not bothering to glance back at him. "I have been instructed to assist you in controlling your inherent abilities lain dormant 'till now."

"Huh?"

Yuriko smiled. She loved using formal language with Takao; it was fun to see the puzzled look on his face! "In simple terms: something's come up, and now we need to step up the pace in your training, especially in tapping into the abilities you all seem to have inherited from your mothers - or at least their side of your family - that you've only just discovered."

"Oh."

After a few more minutes of walking, Yuriko signalled for them to stop, and then turned to face the four.

"As you may already know, each of you is descended from one of the clans of Konohagakure," she began, "and you all have a different chakral nature, pertaining to four of the five main elements."

"Wind, water, lightning, and fire..." Takao cut in, looking bored. "Can we please cut to the chase?"

Yuriko frowned. "I have _no_ idea how you're going to be of any help to Konoha with that attitude..." she muttered, rubbing her temples. _How long 'til Kakashi-_sensei_ brings in the reinforcements?_ she wondered. "Anyway, _Takao_," she continued, staring pointedly at the dark blue-haired teen. "Remember that Hokage-_sama_ said that you four would be treated as working units of this village, training or none; you'll notice that none among you nor I have been assigned to any mission, and I take this to mean she's willing to wait until you guys learn the ropes. That's where I - and a few others who will be joining us later - come in. I'm going to try to help each of you tap into your abilities and use them effectively. This is important when in combat with other shinobi."

Yuriko then took a few steps backwards, leaving a six-meter gap between her and the four boys. "Now," she continued, looking firm. "I want all of you to pretend that you're in a Beybattle at this very moment. Try to imagine the time when you really need to summon those...bit beasts of yours.

"You need to do this because it's at that point that you can tap into your chakra," the amethyst-eyed teen added, reading the question in Takao's face correctly. "Kakashi-_sensei_ and I had a little chat with Tsunade-_sama_ last night, and we figured out that summoning your bit beast was similar to utilizing chakra. One of the properties of chakra is that it powers up an already powerful attack, or creates devastating damage by itself. Isn't that what happens when you use your bit beasts?"

"So what you're saying is...our bit beasts are our chakra?" Rei ventured.

Yuriko nodded, smiling. "I guess that's the best way to put it." She rummaged around in her pouch for a few seconds, then brought out a watch. "Now, I want you guys to do what I told you, and I'll see how long it takes for at least one of you to tap into the chakra."

"Wait. How will you know one of us has done it?" Max asked.

"Each of you will stand, your hands together in front of your chest," Yuriko instructed. "The thumb and first two fingers will be placed together, and the two remaining fingers folded down, the left over the right."

"Like this?" Takao asked, performing the indicated hand position.

Yuriko nodded, pleased that they had all sobered up. "Yes, exactly. Your hands are currently performing the Ram seal. If you've tapped into your chakra, something is bound to happen. If not, I'll be locking onto your chakra signatures, which are currently very weak, and then I'll tell you if anything's changed."

"Okay."

"All right...ready? Now!"

The group immediately fell silent, each teen concentrating. Yuriko closed her eyes, centered her breathing, and focused her chakra on the small group.

All at once, she could feel different chakra signatures emanating from each of the four, where a few moments before, there had been only very little felt from this far away. Yuriko glanced hurriedly at her watch: 5.4 seconds.

"Okay, everyone, that's it." she commanded. Instantly, the chakra dwindled away until she only just felt it. Yuriko turned to the foursome and smiled.

"Well, that was certainly quicker than expected..." she commented. "Though for some strange reason nothing happened to physically affect our surroundings - like you unwittingly did in the northeastern sector. Anyway, in less than ten seconds, each of you had successfully tapped into your chakra, and unlike before, you're still tapped into it. You're not using it, but your chakra circulation system is, for the most part, active now, when before it was almost inactive."

"Why is that?" Rei asked. Yuriko shrugged.

"I'm really not sure. Maybe being here in Konohagakure - this dimension - has an effect on your chakra circulation. Perhaps it will only remain open while within this dimension or something...But that's besides the point; what matters is that the chakra lines are open, and now you can use your chakra at will."

"Really?" Max and Takao asked in unison. The raven-haired teen nodded.

"Yup! Now, try to recall the feeling you had when I told you to stop. Anything strange?"

"Well..." Takao began tentatively, "something seemed to be bubbling up inside me, somewhere around here." Saying this, the stormy-eyed teen laid a hand on an area three inches below the solar plexus.

"Same here." Max said, raising his hand even though they weren't in a classroom setting and Yuriko wasn't a schoolteacher.

"Ditto." Rei added, his sharp canines glinting in the growing light of sunrise.

Yuriko smiled. She didn't have to ask Kai to confirm if he felt the same thing; she knew that the slate-haired teen preferred action to words, and as a result, avoided talking when it wasn't really necessary. "That proves the chakra circulation thing, then...Anyway, now I'm going to show you the different seals used when utilizing and molding chakra for the techniques you'll hopefully learn."

"Wait..." Takao started. "Does this require memorization?"

"Of course it does," The amethyst-eyed girl pretended to look surprised that he'd even thought of asking such a question. "It would be awfully difficult - not to mention awkward - to carry around a notebook of sorts with all the seals for the different techniques you've learned written down. And it certainly won't do when in battle; you'd lose the advantage of speed and then where would you be?"

"Oh...um, right..." The steel-eyed teen grinned sheepishly.

"Nice question, Kinomiya." Kai remarked, smirking.

"Shut up..."

00000000000000000000000000

"So, Yuriko, how's the training?" Kakashi asked, using a hand to raise part of the cloth sign in front of the Ichiraku Ramenya. "And what are you doing at the ramen stall, anyway? Is Naruto rubbing off on you?"

Yuriko laughed. "No, Naruto-_san_ hasn't rubbed off on me, Kakashi-_sensei_. But he, Sasuke and Sakura were kind enough to offer me dinner tonight. We couldn't decide on any one place to go to, so the three drew straws."

"Unfortunately, the _dobe_ here won..." Sasuke added. It wasn't meant to be mean, though. He and Naruto called each other nicknames all the time, but 'dobe' was his favorite, so far.

"But he also has to pay for my order," Sakura said, grinning. "He owes me money from last week, and what I ordered just about adds up to the amount he borrowed."

"Hmph," went Naruto. "It was only candy. Can't you let it go?"

Sakura's response was to swat it upside his head. "It may have been sweets, but it was _my_ money!"

It was Kakashi's turn to laugh. His team had grown and matured somewhat, but some habits from their younger days still remained. "So I see. And where are your friends, Yuriko?"

"They all stayed behind at the compound, _sensei_. Each said something about sleeping early for tomorrow's training. They must have been tired out."

"Hmm..." Kakashi finally took a seat. "You didn't answer my question yet, did you?"

"Oh!" Yuriko put down her chopsticks and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. Anyway, about the training...it started out great but went downhill."

Kakashi seemed more interested in giving his order than listening to what the auburn-haired teen had to say. "Is that so? What happened, exactly?"

"Well, they memorized the _names_ of the different seals, but when it came to performing several in quick succession - I taught each of them one technique today - it was a _disaster_!" She leaned her elbows on the table and massaged her temples. "Rei somehow made a rather large bird so mad that it started chasing and pecking at his head; Max sunk himself waist-deep in his first attempt at a 'Swamp Trap'; and Kai set fire to his own pants!"

Naruto grinned cheekily; Yuriko took no notice.

"And when we thought Rei had mastered his first technique - he'd gotten the seals down pat - the lightning bolt didn't hit the target, but it hit _him_!"

Sakura put a hand up to hide her wide grin, shoulders hunched in an effort not to laugh out loud.

"And then Max suddenly found himself up in a tree. Turns out he lost focus and performed 'Teleport' at the end of what was supposed to be 'Swamp Trap'. Kai..." she sighed. "Kai got the 'Great Fireball', all right...a _very tiny_ fireball."

Kakashi nearly dropped his chopsticks, while Yuriko picked up hers, a small smile showing on her face. "It wasn't all _that_ bad, I guess...Before we stopped for the day, Takao thought to give 'Wind Vortex' another try. He forgot Tiger came first and performed Ram. Thing is, he didn't undo the seal that quickly, and he was concentrating fiercely on...well, he was concentrating on _something_, I guess. Anyway, because he didn't act quickly enough, let's just say the next moment, Takao was gone, and _Takara_ stood in his place... I hear that's something you like to employ to distract your perverted mentors, Naruto, this '_Oiroke no Jutsu_'..."

That did it.

"He did _what_?" Naruto cried just as Team 7 and Kakashi went berserk. Well, except for Sasuke, who looked positively hilarious as he tried to hold back in his laughter. He was already grinning widely by that time, though; as a result, he looked somewhat like a _very_ constipated infant.

Meanwhile, Naruto had toppled from his chair and was rolling on the ground, guffawing. Sakura had doubled over, hands clutching her sides and overcome by giggle fits. And Kakashi had folded his arms into a box-like shape on the counter and hidden his head in the space created; his attempt at 'non-laughter' was foiled, however, because of his rapidly shaking shoulders and the occasional intake of breath one hears when in the middle of a laughing fit. After a few moments, Yuriko took one look at them and began to laugh, too.

"Well...look at it th-this way...Yuriko..." Kakashi said, wiping away a few tears and trying to speak though he was still overcome by laughter. "At least your friends know what _not_ to do when using their chakra!"

"True," Sasuke added, grinning wider than was usual for him. "But then, those antics might be just what we need in battle. Distracting your opponents is a _very_ effective tactic..."

"What then? Should they set their pants on fire or transform into naked women whenever they're confronted by enemy shinobi?" Naruto asked, shakily getting to his feet.

"I don't think so..." Yuriko said. She glanced at her feet, still grinning, twiddling her thumbs. "See, what happened was...well, they're still new to this thing and...um..._Takara_'s still here..."

"Takara-" Naruto began, and off they were again, the night air practically ringing with their laughter.

oOo

A/N: XD LOL! A nice change of atmosphere, wouldn't you say? I don't really know what happened that made me type up that last part, but I think the movie I watched earlier (Dancer in the Dark) helped me decide to write something a bit more upbeat. Or hilarious, as the case may be...

Well, I'm off! Gotta train for tae kwon do finals (which were moved to Sept. 29, thankfully), study for Filipino long test, and review notes for Science class...

For those who didn't catch the last chapter, I've edited both that and this one. I changed the names of the mystery men; one reader (you know who you are) confessed to a bit of discomfort at reading the intended names because they were the names of her favorite characters from Digimon.

Dewa mata! God bless!


	11. Chapter 10: Atama Ni Nai na Chikara

A/N: At long last! An update! XD Oh, and by the way: the title for this chapter was put together using my rudimentary skills in Nihongo. I don't know the exact Nihongo word for 'unknown', so I used 'not in the head' ...

Disclaimer: ...you guys know the drill...

oOo

**Chapter 10: Atama ni Nai na Chikara**

"Kakashi-_jisama_?"

"Yes, Rei?" Kakashi returned, ducking under a low branch. Around a week had passed after the shaky start to the group's chakra training; since Yuriko had been called away on a mission and wasn't expected to return for around three more days, Tsunade had asked Team Seven to train Kai and his companions. Neither Neji nor Hinata were available then, so it was decided that their 'introduction' to their second-degree cousin would have to wait for another day. The group of eight - Kyouju and Hiromi had once more elected to stay at the Uchihara compound - were on their way to the training grounds.

Rei leapt nimbly over a large rock in his path, landing lightly on his feet. "What do you have in store for us today?"

"Well, since you've already covered the basics with Yuriko - both for weaponry techniques and chakra control, I hope - I decided that, after some more basic training, we might have some friendly sparring matches today."

"_What_?" Takao exclaimed. Apparently, he had overheard the last part. "B-b-but we've barely got the basics down!"

"Maybe _you're_ the only one who doesn't get the basics," Kai rolled his eyes. "You're weapon handling has somewhat improved, considering your previous _kendo_ training with your grandfather, but you still manage to confuse the twelve basic seals - like you did Tiger and Ram - which is _ridiculous_ for someone your age, Kinomiya."

"Ah, shut up, Kai. Not everyone can be as perfect as you..."

"I don't think so, Takao," Max piped up, stopping briefly to admire a dazzling blue butterfly in flight. "Sakura-_san_ told me just how good Sasuke-_san_ is in battle, due in part to his..._kekkei genkai_, was it?"

The jade-eyed teen nodded, smiling. The circumstances concerning this group's ancestry had been explained to her the day before, when Yuriko had left for her mission - her first since she got to Konoha. It hadn't been easy at first, but she accepted the news. Now she shook her head and forced herself to focus on the training session ahead. Tsunade had tasked her with helping the four boys fine-tune their chakra control, and frankly, she knew she was the best choice for the job; nearly four years of training under the Fifth Hokage had honed her already high-level chakra control to near-perfection and transformed her into one of the village's best medical ninja.

Breaking her concentration on the goal of that day's session, she glanced at Sasuke, who kept a few paces in front of her and to her left. She wondered how the dark-haired teen felt about finding he had a cousin. Then she glanced at Kai, who likewise kept ahead of his group of friends, and noted the subtle similarities and differences between the two. She grinned in excitement; Sakura vaguely remembered hearing Kakashi say something about friendly sparring matches, and couldn't wait to see how a fight between the Uchiha cousins - if both Kai and Sasuke agreed to being called that - would turn out.

After a few more more minutes of walking - in Rei's case, walking and then leaping lightly over several large obstacles - they arrived at the training grounds.

"So, Kakashi," Naruto began, his voice cutting quickly through the silence. "What's up first? Target practice? Dummy sparring? Advanced chakra control?"

The silver-haired jounin gave a small chuckle. "I'm afraid not, Naruto," he replied, walking over to a different part of the training grounds. There, almost in the exact center of that particular area, stood several pairs of thin wooden poles varying from one-and-a-half to five feet in height. The top of each was bowl-shaped and covered with a thick cloth - similar to those used in old drums - to form some sort of pad at the top.

"The plum flower poles?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.

Kakashi nodded. "Yes. I noticed my...nephew's display of agility earlier during our trek here, and thought it would be nice if we started with that." Mentally, he shook his head; he wasn't quite used yet to calling anyone his nephew

"How exactly do these...'plum flower poles' work?" Kai asked, startling everyone by being one of the first to talk. He joined the masked man at the training apparatus and began examining each pole in turn.

"I'm glad you asked, Kai." Kakashi went and stood a few inches in front of the shorter pole. And then, moving very quickly and causing Kai to take one step back in shock, he leapt onto the left-hand fifth pole, stepped lightly onto the sixth, and stood very calmly on the right-hand seventh pole. "This is used to train a ninja for agility and balance, because the poles are designed to _wobble_. The higher you climb, the more unstable the poles become."

Kai nodded, eyeing the 'plum flowers'. Kakashi leapt down from the top pole and landed in front of the rest of the group, who had formed a semi-circle around two-and-a-half feet in front of the training apparatus. "So, Kai, Max, Rei, Takao," he began, his visible eye crinkling with the smile he apparently wore behind his dark mask. "Which of you would like to go first?" In answer, Rei stepped closer to the poles. "All right, then, Rei. Go ahead."

For a few moments, Rei stood quite still, and then, jumped onto the fourth, fifth, then seventh poles, alternating between the right and left-hand poles for the first two and using the last pair simultaneously. He grinned, showing his canines.

Takao and Naruto's jaws hung open at the same time; Sakura looked delighted; Max was smiling in awe; Kai and Sasuke both looked slightly interested. Kakashi, meanwhile, looked highly pleased. He approached Rei as the amber-eyed teen hopped down from the highest poles.

"Very nice, Rei," he commented, clapping a hand on the neko-jin's shoulder. "I guess you've inherited this skill from your father's family."

Rei smiled sheepishly. "I haven't really given it much thought. And balance is one of the things my former blading team and I focused on in training, both for our Beyblades _and_ ourselves.

"I see." Kakashi turned to the three remaining teens, though he wasn't clear on what 'Beyblades' and 'blading' was. "Who's next?"

Takao's hand shot into the air enthusiastically. "I am!" The navy-haired teen didn't wait for the go-ahead; he rushed towards the plum flower poles and began hopping from one to the other. Everything seemed to go fine, until...

"Wh-whoa!" Takao cried out. As soon as he stepped onto the fourth pole, he'd become unnerved because of all the wobbling and came tumbling down. Takao managed to save himself from further embarrassment because he somehow caught himself before he sprawled onto the ground. "Ow..."

"Ha!" Naruto let out a bark of laughter. "Nice try, _cousin_, but you still need _a lot_ of work..."

"Naruto, don't be so hard on him!" Sakura exclaimed, hitting the blonde ninja on the shoulder. "He's still a beginner, despite his age! And if I recall correctly, you didn't do so well on the plum flower poles, either!"

"Well, I was younger then!" Naruto shot back, rubbing his upper arm. "And _please_ try not to massacre my arm..."

"Whoa, guys, no bickering," Max said, quickly stepping in between the two. "Let's try to have a nice, peaceful training session, please?"

"Max, perhaps you'd like to go next, to give your friend a chance to recover a bit..." Kakashi suggested, gesturing towards the poles. The young boy took a deep breath and nodded in agreement, tentatively stepping up to the poles.

Everyone watched as the blonde went quickly from the second, to the third, to the fifth...and promptly toppled over. Rei, however, was quick and caught his younger teammate just in time, saving him from a nasty lump on the head. Max grinned sheepishly.

"Thanks, Rei," he said as he stood, and then helped Rei to his feet. "I guess I still have a lot to work on in the balance department..."

"Don't worry about it, Max," Rei replied. "You were brave enough to start with the second pole and skip the fourth, unlike Takao who started with the first pole and didn't skip any..."

"Hey! No need to rub it in!" the stormy-eyed teen protested. He wasn't mad, really; stating each other's shortcomings or mistakes was a source of fun for him and his friends when things got a bit too serious. It helped them realize where they went wrong, and it showed that everyone was paying attention. He decided to play along. "Well, at least I didn't need anyone to catch me when I fell!"

Kakashi cleared his throat. He knew the dark-haired teen wasn't mad - he could sense it - but he wanted to finish this part of the session as soon as possible. Takao, Rei, and Max stopped talking and stood up straight. "Now then, since the three of you are finished, that leaves only one person..." The masked jounin turned to the slate-haired teen, who was leaning against a tree trunk in his usual manner. "Kai? It's your turn."

The crimson-eyed teen heaved a small, inaudible sigh as he approached the plum flower poles. Like Rei, he stood there, motionless, for a few minutes, just staring at the wooden apparatus. And then, imitating Kakashi, he leapt onto the fifth pole, then the sixth, and finally gained both seventh poles. He faltered a bit as he stood there, but otherwise, his performance was as flawless as his catlike teammate's.

"Hmm..." Kakashi began, unsure of what to say as he stepped closer to the group. "Well, Rei and Kai certainly seem to have great balance, despite their lack of proper training. Max, you're already very agile and it seems you know what to work on." The blonde smiled, nodding, and Kakashi went on. "Takao, you certainly are following your second cousin's footsteps; no doubt you've heard from Sakura that Naruto, too, had trouble with this training apparatus. I think the two of you need to work together on this one; he can help you overcome this obstacle."

Takao, somehow sensing when _not_ to complain, merely bowed and kept silent. There was something about this man that commanded respect, but he didn't know what it was exactly. Kakashi looked pleased with this cooperation and then turned to the others. "Sakura, I trust you know what Hokage-_sama_ asks of you; you will work with Max. He seems an intelligent sort and will most likely learn quickly. I'll be working with Rei..." Slowly, a small smile broke over Kakashi's face. "...and the cousins will work together." He remembered the day Yuriko and her friends had first come to Konoha, and he wanted to see if Kai and Sasuke's training session for the day would turn out like their first battle.

"Kakashi, what am I supposed to teach him?" Sasuke asked quietly, his face wiped of any emotion.

"...How about you test Kai for any attributes of the Sharingan?" the silver-haired man suggested, "and then see where it goes from there."

Sasuke nodded curtly, activated his Sharingan, and then turned to the other crimson-eyed teen.

"Let's go."

The other members of Team BBA watched as Kai and Sasuke walked off into the forest nearby. "I hope they don't try to kill each other..." Takao muttered, looking anxious. "That Sasuke guy looks just about ready to murder with those eyes of his, and Kai..." he shook his head. "Kai can be downright scary when he's mad."

"I doubt that's going to happen, though," Sakura said calmly. "As far as I know, Sasuke hates his older brother - I'm not quite sure _why_. Anyway, Sasuke hates the guy so much that he wants to _kill_ him. Other than that, I don't think Sasuke'll murder his only other living relative..."

Rei blinked. "You mean...Sasuke and his brother are the only Uchiha clan members left alive here?" When Sakura nodded, the neko-jin's jaw dropped and Max's eyes went wide.

"Talk about freaky similarities!" Takao exclaimed. "Where we come from, there are only two Hiwatari's left, and Kai's one of them. The other one's his grandfather - but doesn't act like it, that's for sure - and Kai would give _anything_ to rid himself of the old geezer!"

"That _is_ a pretty eerie connection between the two..." Sakura agreed, shuddering inwardly.

"-But enough of that now," Kakashi interrupted. "We still have some training to do."

"Right!"

* * *

"So..." Sasuke started, reaching into the pouch hanging at his belt and taking out four _kunai_. "Shall we start?" He turned to face the slate-haired teen.

Kai's jaw was set firmly, his mouth a cold, hard line. "Of course. You're supposed to test me for traces of this...'Sharingan', right? That must mean you're to attack me without warning, and gauge my performance, correct?"

"...Something like that," Sasuke said gruffly. He tossed two of the _kunai_ to Kai, who caught them.

Kai smiled inwardly; _now_ he had a small inkling of what was going to happen and what was expected of him. He grasped one knife in each hand, the sharp blades facing outwards, and crossed his arms in front of him: one arm guarding the upper portion of his torso; the other, the lower portion. "Anytime you're ready...Sasuke."

The Uchiha stood quite still, head bowed, looking for all the world like he had fallen asleep on his feet. Suddenly, one second he was there; the next, he was gone.

Crimson eyes darted from side to side, slim, gray brows slightly furrowed. And then, he sidestepped and brought his left arm - the one guarding his lower torse - swinging upward. He felt a jolt in his arm, the sound of metal on metal reached his ears, and then a very faint image of Sasuke appeared in front of him. In a split-second, though, his 'adversary' had disappeared again.

Once more, Kai scanned his surroundings, finding no trace of the raven-haired teen. The thudding of his nervous heart threatened to overcome him; he knew what - who - he was up against, and it had probably been just luck that he had avoided taking a direct hit that last time. He forced himself to ease his tensed-up shoulders, relax, close his eyes, take deep, slow breaths...

Then, suddenly, movement to his left. The slate-haired teen backflipped, landing gracefully on his feet, but then faltered for a moment as a sharp pain shot through his upper left arm. His gaze fixed on the area to his left. The next second, not knowing why, he whirled around in an anti-clockwise circle, his right arm almost fully extended, and surprisingly felt the resistance of cloth. There was a ripping sound, then a sharp cry, and Sasuke appeared in front of him, gripping his upper left arm as well. The raven-haired teen smirked.

"Better than I expected, Kai, seeing as how our first meeting turned out," he said. He knew for sure that the crimson-eyed teen in front of him had never undergone proper ninja training, and so the quick reflexes he'd displayed were the result of either intensive training of another sort, a diluted version of the Sharingan...or both.

"Another round?"

Kai smirked, too, as he readied himself for another match against the darkly-clad teen. Strangely, though this fight was different from the Beybattles he was used to, he found it more than a little interesting; in fact, he found himself coming to enjoy this sort of sparring, even if it meant he'd come out quite a bit injured.

"Of course."

* * *

"Kai and Sasuke are certainly taking a long time..." Sakura commented quietly. She glanced up and squinted against the strong sunlight filtering through the pale clouds hanging in the cerulean sky. It was nearing lunchtime - they were supposed to be on lunchbreak now - and Kai hadn't taken his turn for the advanced chakra control lesson.

"Something tells me they've started the 'friendly sparring' early..." Takao muttered. "Maybe one of them is even lying on the ground, dying because from loss of blood."

Kakashi chuckled. "I don't think it's _that_ drastic, Takao..." The silver-haired man began to make his way to the clearing the two teens had gone into earlier. "C'mon, they might just need a little reminder that it's breaktime now..."

As soon as he got to the clearing, he stood quite still, his visible eye slightly widened in shock. Curious and more than a little worried, the rest of the group went over to join him. They, too, were surprised by the sight that met their eyes.

Kai was standing with his back to them, and Sasuke was charging at him in mid-air, his arms crossed near his face and a _kunai_ peeking out from each fist. Then, unexpectedly, Sasuke swifly uncrossed his arms.

The fatal blades slashed through empty air, though; a nanosecond before Sasuke tried to slash at him, Kai had leapt up at an angle, and then used Sasuke back as a springboard to propel him towards a tree standing at the opposite end of the small clearing.

Sasuke stumbled slightly before picking himself up and whirling around to face Kai, who was standing(?) on the tree trunk. Both teens locked gazes, and then shot towards each other. There was a _clang!_ as the weapons collided. For a few moments, Sasuke and Kai just stood there, vying for supremacy, and then leapt backwards. Both landed on their feet and assumed defensive stances, panting slightly.

Sakura heaved a sigh of relief, and Max leaned weakly against a nearby tree.

"I thought they were really going to kill each other!" Takao exclaimed. Kakashi took no note of the comment and stepped into the clearing, clapping his hands twice. Hearing this seemed to snap both teens out of the grip of their adrenaline rush, for both straightened up and turned to face the Jounin.

"_Nan'da_?" Sasuke asked bluntly, the _kunai_ still grasped in his hands.

"We thought we'd check up on the two of you," Kakashi replied, his hands in his pockets now, "_and_ to remind you that it's just around lunchtime. We'll take a break now, and then Kai should train with Sakura for a while. After that, we'll have the one-on-one practice sparring session-" here, the masked Jounin glanced pointedly at Sasuke and Kai - "though both of you have already done that..."

Kai bent forward slightly in a formal bow. "_Gomen_, Kakashi-_san_. We...got carried away."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "Ah, it's all right; that actually shows you're having fun, Kai. Anway, let's go eat. I bet Hiromi-_chan_ worked hard to pack this lunch for us."

"Yay! Food!" Takao exclaimed, jumping up and thrusting his fist into the air. And then he glanced at the bush where it had been agreed they would eat the picnic lunch, and stopped short. "Hang on..."

"Huh?" Rei arched an eyebrow questioningly. "What's the matter, Takao?"

"I don't see the lunch basket..." the storm-eyed teen glanced around worriedly. "Where is it?"

"...Um..."

Sakura whirled around to face her now-sheepishly smiling former teacher. "What's wrong, Kakashi?"

"...I...uh...I guess I left it back at Yuriko's place..."

Silence, save for the chirping of several birds. Then...

"_WHAT_?!"

"So we have to go all the way back there just to eat lunch?" Naruto groaned. "Aww, man..."

"Hmm...How about you guys stay here, while I'll run back and get it?" Sakura suggested. "It'll take less than fifteen minutes if I hurry."

"That's kind of you, Sakura-_san_," Rei commented, settling down under the shade of a large gingko tree. "But are you sure it's no trouble?"

The jade-eyed girl smiled and shook her head. "No, no problem, Rei-_san_. I've barely exerted myself today. Besides, you guys need your rest."

"Thanks, Sakura-_chan_!" Naruto half-laughed, flopping down on a small patch of grass, still in the shade.

"Oh, no! You shouldn't relax just yet, Naruto," the pink-haired girl said, grinning mischievously. "You've barely exerted yourself, too; that means you're coming with me. I might need someone to help with the basket."

"_Nani_?!" The orange-clad teen sat up. "But, Sakura-_chan _-"

"Go on, Naruto," Kakashi said, laughter in his eyes. "Be a gentleman and accompany Sakura; how bad can it be?"

"B-but...but what about Sasuke?" Naruto asked, as a sort of protest. "If I'm going with Sakura, shouldn't _he_ come, too?"

"Sasuke needs to rest, Naruto," the silver-haired man answered matter-of-factly. "He looks a tad exhausted from his match with Kai. Oh, and Sakura," - here he glanced at the pink-haired _kunoichi_ - "before you leave, perhaps you could check Sasuke and his - ahem - cousin for any injuries and do something about them? We don't want them collapsing later on during the later part of our training for today..."

"Sure!" The jade-eyed girl approached the Uchiha first. She nearly gasped when she saw a potentially fatal slash just below Sasuke's ribcage. She proceeded to heal it - and the cut on his upper arm, which was still bleeding slightly - but decided not to say anything. She was a little worried, though; Sasuke had gone up against a rookie, but had been injured. Yes, most were minor, but what kind of rookie could deal such damage to a Chuunin (with skills belonging to a Jounin)?

As soon as she was finished - with Sasuke nodding his thanks somewhat sullenly - Sakura stood up and went over to Kai.

"Any injuries I should know about?" she asked as she knelt in front of the slate-haired teen. "You know, the ones that aren't readily visible. We ought to take care of those first..."

Kai bit his lip. He wasn't used to this, being taken care of by a girl. He'd always taken care of his own injuries, or, if he happened to be unconscious - which happened _very_ rarely - let a hospital staff deal with them. At lenght, he let out an inaudible sigh.

"Well," he started, shrugging off the left side of his jacket, "one of Sasuke's _kunai_ got through and went in right about here..." With his right hand, the crimson-eyed teen indicated a spot at the back of his dark purple shirt that had been torn.

"And you took the knife out?" Max asked. He'd been sitting very near to his captain and had overheard. "Kai, any bladed weapon does more damage going out than in! You, of all people, should know that-"

"Max, I didn't do anything; the _kunai_ just fell out," Kai interrupted quietly. He'd noticed something while fighting Sasuke earlier, and had been a bit unnerved by it.

"But Max-_san_ is right," Sakura said gently. "Here; let me look at it..." She reached up gently peeled away the torn edges surrounding the injured area, careful not to tear away any clots that might have formed; if she had, the bleeding would begin again, and that would be one heck of a problem, given the location of the puncture wound. Then she gasped.

"What?" Max looked worried. "What is it?"

Sakura sat back, apalled. "The wound..."

"What about it?" Kakashi asked. He'd become a bit concerned that Sakura was taking so long. He crouched down.

"Well, according to Kai-_san_, Sasuke's _kunai_ had entered his upper back, approximately 1.8 centimeters to the right of the peak of his left collarbone, but..." Sakura trailed off. Kakashi glanced towards it, and blinked in surprise. He could see the damaged section of cloth, stained slightly with blood, but on Kai's pale skin, there was no sign of injury whatsoever.

The masked ninja recovered from his shock and then stood up. "All right, everyone, there's been a change of plans," he said loudly. "Something's come up, and it's been decided that we'll all go back to Yuriko's house and eat lunch there."

"What? Kakashi-" Sakura was about to protest when her former mentor clapped a hand on her shoulder. Then he glanced down at her and smiled gently.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura. But thank you for pointing the...injury out to me." he said quietly. To Kai, he said, "All right, Kai, you can put on your jacket properly now."

"Thank _kami_..." the slate-haired teen muttered, getting to his feet impatiently.

Soon, the group was on its way back to the village proper. Bringing up the rear was Kakashi, his eye trained on Kai for the majority of the trek back.

_You and I are going to have a long talk, Hiwatari Kai_...

oOo

A/N: Well, that was a lengthy chapter, wasn't it? To all those who were inconvenienced by the length of this chapter, I sincerely apologize. I'm trying to make up for any overly-shortened chapters I might have posted for this particular fic. About the location of Kai's wound... well, it's something to do with anatomy (damn hard!), so just email me if you want to know why that spot is potentially fatal...

Anyway, if there are any confusions or questions about anything else, you guys know what to do. I'll read your reactions and whatnot, and if I need to, I'll answer your queries and get back to you as soon as I can. I've just started the second semester of my college freshman year, so it will be relatively easy to take care of my account.

Oh, and this is of utmost importance. When you review, can you please answer these simple questions? Here goes: 1) When you read or hear the word/s 'ninja' and 'ninjutsu', what comes to your mind? 2) What do you think influenced this association?

For those who answer the above survey, _domo arigatou gozaimasu_! I'm working on a research paper for English, and I need your replies for the statistical and analytical sections of the paper. Once more, thanks so much!

Well, that's it for now! Peace out! _Dewa mata_ and God bless!


	12. Chapter 11: Kanaku Na Yume

A/N: I don't believe it! _Another_ update! These chapters just seem to flow out of my head, ne? Maybe this is a reflex ground into my system so I don't disappoint my readers a few months later when the second semester goes into full swing (projects and papers left and right; exams, etc.)...

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Once more, Hikari doesn't own Naruto and it's characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sensei (who, strangely, shares Hikari's birthday) and Shogakukan. She _does_ own the OCs, however...

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 11: Kan-aku na Yume**

"So, Kakashi-_san_, what did you want to talk to me about?" Kai asked, his voice its usual monotone. He had changed into a more comfortable black tank - similar to the one he wore when he'd first met Takao - that hugged his figure and showed off the lean musculature of his frame.

_He must have had some workout when he was younger..._ Kakashi thought, smiling inwardly. He stood up from examining the pond in Yuriko's back garden and turned to face the slate-haired teen.

"Well, Kai, Sakura noticed something...strange back up in the training grounds. I noticed it, too, so I'm going to describe it as best as I can..."

"And that would be...?" Kai was trying to be patient. He saw now how infuriating it was when someone spoke in riddles - something he did _a lot_ with his blading team.

"You said yourself that Sasuke had injured you; according to you, the _kunai_ had pierced your back, dangerously close to your lungs and aorta, I might add..." Kai nodded slowly to show he understood, and the silver-haired Jounin went on.

"Now, Sakura hasn't had a chance to heal you - one of her abilities due to her perfect chakra control. Given the location of injury, you should be passing out from loss of blood by now. So, why haven't you lost consciousness?"

Kai shrugged. How should _he_ know? He wasn't a biology major; he wasn't even old enough to apply to universities! Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was about to learn something...shocking, to say the least, about himself. Maybe it would explain the strange sensation he had during his match with Sasuke.

Kakashi came closer, clapping a hand on Kai's shoulder and moving back into a semi-crouch, gently forcing the crimson-eyed teen to crouch as well.

"To put it simply, Kai, you _healed _yourself, something that requires precise chakra control. Healing a slight, non-fatal cut - just a cut! - would have been fine, but what you healed was a puncture wound, and could have involved the replacement of some lung tissue and blood vessel wall, in the worst-case scenario. Nevertheless, you were able to accomplish such a feat with no training in medical techniques -"

"Kakashi-_san_, why would you want to tell me this?" Kai interrupted, as politely as he could. He wanted to add his signature remark - "I couldn't care less," - but thought better of it. This was, after all, an elite ninja he was talking to. The 'system' had been explained to him and his friends quite recently, so it wasn't easy to forget.

The jounin smiled beneath his mask. "I just thought you'd like to know. I remember one among your group mentioned that the four of you owned beasts of some sort. Beasts that you could control. I think the four of you owning such creatures was not coincidental. Yours is a phoenix, I heard; this fact alone could have something to do with that healing stunt you just pulled.

"Kai, if, indeed it was the phoenix you control that has granted you healing abilities, I'd like for you to help your teammates find what it is _their_ beasts have granted them. According to Sasuke, Konoha could have great need of your help very soon."

Kai just sat there, pondering what Kakashi had just told him. _What if Kakashi's right?_ he thought, fumbling in his pants pocket and withdrawing his blade. He gazed at the picture of the majestic phoenix gleaming in the center. _What if Suzaku..._ he glanced up, searching for the masked ninja; he was nowhere to be seen, and Kai realized that the silver-haired man had left already, probably gone back into the main house; he'd been alone in the back garden for quite a while now.

_Stupid!_ he yelled in his mind, kicking himself mentally for forgetting to mention the strange sensation he'd felt earlier. It had something to do with his eyes, he knew; he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Was his beloved bit beast behind this, too?

* * *

"So, Kai, what did Kakashi-_sensei_ want to talk to you about?" Hiromi asked, glancing up as the slate-haired teen came through the the _shoji_. "He's left already, in case you want to know," the auburn-haired teen added. Kai merely nodded, turning to go to his room. Hiromi shrugged let him go, despite his not having answered her question; he was like that sometimes, and it was usually better to leave him be. She turned to the rest of her friends.

"How'd the training go?"

"Not too bad," Max replied, taking a big gulp of water. "We learned something new, at least. And Takao was cooperative, for once."

"Hey!" the stormy-eyed teen protested, around a huge bite of grilled steak. At the table, only the dragon-wielder was still eating; the others - except for Kai, who finished earlier - had finished around five minutes ago.

"Too bad I wasn't there to see it," Hiromi commented. She stood up. "I'm going to go for a walk," she said, walking over to the door, which was slightly ajar. "There's still much of the city I haven't seen..."

"Wait! We'll come with you!" Takao said suddenly, chomping down the last of his meal and washing it down with a quick glassful of water. He stood up and hurried over to the door.

"What do you mean, 'we'?" Rei looked up.

"I mean you, me, and Max. And Chief, too, if he wants to come. Hiromi's right, you know; we still haven't seen much of this Konoha, though we've been staying here for quite some time now. Don't you think we should explore a bit more?" He put his fisted hands on his hips - his signature stance - as he waited for a reply.

"You _do_ have a point..." the blonde said thoughtfully. After a few more minutes, he stood up, going over to the door. "C'mon, Rei, Kyouju. The more, the merrier!"

Rei shrugged, getting up as well. "Well...who knows?" he grinned. "We might run into some...shady guys; then we could put into practice what we've learned so far!"

"Just don't turn this outing into a training session..." Takao said, bending down to put on his shoes.

"Well, don't leave me alone here!" Kyouju said, scurrying over. He'd been standing in the threshold of the kitchen, debating whether to stay or to go out, too. But when he saw that _everyone_ was going, the decision was made for him there and then: he was going.

"Um...hang on, guys." Hiromi said suddenly, in the middle of putting on her left shoe. "Shouldn't someone get Kai?"

"Ah, leave him alone, Hiromi..." Takao replied, stepping out onto the wraparound porch. "I know you saw him a few minutes ago; he's most likely to get irritated if we disturb him, no matter how long he's been given to cool off...Besides, he goes on plenty of walks on his own..."

"Well, if you say so..." the ruby-eyed teen looked uncertain, but followed her friends outside anyway.

"So, where to?" Max asked when they set foot outside the Uchihara compound.

"That's the fun in these walks, Max; you're not supposed to care!" Takao replied, grabbing his friend's hand and leading him down the road, not really caring if it was the right way or not.

"Hey! Wait up!"

* * *

_Knock, knock!_

Tsunade glanced up from the stacks of papers she had to wade through. "Come in," she called, a slight tinge of annoyance in her voice. She'd told Shizune not to let anyone up to her office; she had _tons_ of paperwork to finish! "And make it quick," she added as an afterthought, just to give whoever had knocked a hint at her impatience.

The door creaked open, causing the amber-eyed woman to glance up again. To her surprise, it was _Yuriko _who stood in the doorway. Tsunade got up from her chair.

"Yuriko-_san_?"

The auburn-haired girl nodded solemnly. She was breathing hard, the Hokage noticed.

"You and your team weren't expected for three more days," the blonde continued, going around to the front of her desk. "What is the reason for your sudden return?"

Yuriko took a deep breath, mainly to steady herself.

"The mission..." - another breath - "terminated much earlier than we anticipated, Hokage-_sama_," she replied, pupils contracting. "My teammates and I thought there was no more need to monitor the opposition."

"And why is that so? Weren't you supposed to monitor the Shikino Inner Council until their plans were known to you? This was to help Konoha formulate a plan of action." Tsunade emphasized the last sentence to show her displeasure at the abrupt termination of what was probably one of the more important missions she'd given; it would have prevented complete annihilation if - and when - the Shikino decided to attack in their final bid for dominance.

Yuriko nodded. "I know, Tsunade-_sama_, however, we didn't need to stay very long; their plans were revealed almost immediately."

"And? What news?"

Another deep breath. "I'm afraid its grave - and shocking - news, Hokage-_sama_..."

* * *

"They're _what_?!" Kyouju spluttered when he heard the news. He and his friends had gotten back from their particularly long walk to find Yuriko waiting for them in the living room. Kai, who was sitting at right angles to her, had apparently left his room a few minutes before they arrived.

Takao coughed, unable to speak.

"Are you serious about this, Yuriko?" Max asked, setting his cup of tea on the table.

Yuriko nodded, eyebrows knitted in concern. "Dead serious, Max. I saw a part of the battle schematics myself."

"How did you manage that?"

"By disguising myself," the auburn-haired teen replied. "I knocked one of the underlings unconscious and donned her clothing, if only for a while, then hid her away. Then, posing as her, I brought my teammates in - their names are unimportant right now - tied up, and said that I'd found them sneaking around. Naturally they were locked up, but since I was the one who led them to their cell, I knew where they were being held. I freed them later, of course, but this time as me; that was sometime after seven o'clock last night; we've been travelling since then.

"Anyway, after I'd locked my teammates up - since I apparently had impersonated one of their key scouts - one council member took me aside and gave me a map, instructing me to check out the areas marked in red; they were, according to him, where divisions of the Shikino forces would wait and attack from.

"According to the map, when they choose to launch their offensive, Konoha will be bombarded on all sides." The amethyst-eyed teen sighed, crossed her arms. "Already they've moved out of their clan compound; they're heading towards this village, even as we speak.

Takao flopped down onto the _tatami_. "Man! Now we're caught in a _war_, of all things!" He sighed. "I never thought I'd miss training with Grandpa...I'd take his insane lessons over _this _any day!"

Yuriko smiled at him sadly. "We often wish that we had continued living our lives as they were, not getting involved in anything other than things that directly concern us. But sometimes, we are pushed in that direction where no action on our part would have negative effects on a lot of people, people who usually see us as the only solution, or at least a part of it. That's life, Takao; we can't fight it. And why would we want to? Sometimes its better to be involved than to miss out on a chance to learn something new about yourself and to grow from the experience..."

Then she stood up, straightening her robe. "Well, I guess I'll try to go to bed now. The rest of you should sleep, too; we're to be up early to continue your training. Now that the prospect of combat is not far off, we've plenty of ground to cover and not much time."

"I guess it was too much to hope for a break..." Takao half-whispered to Max, who chuckled.

"I guess so..." He didn't notice that to his left, Kai had gotten up as well, and was now following Yuriko down the hall.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Yuriko?" Kai asked, his voice low, almost a whisper. He kept his stride in time with hers, their feet tapping out a silent rhythm as they strolled in tandem down the hall. He'd read the intention in her eyes when she left the dining room minutes ago, and he didn't like what he saw - an understatement, to be sure.

"I've no choice, Kai," the auburn-haired teen replied, slowing down a bit. Kai stopped, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "It's...it's my duty. To you and our friends; you've learned barely enough to keep yourselves alive for only fifteen minutes in an all-out battle. And I've a duty to everyone in this village, because this is where I was born; in a sense, they're like family. The only family I have left..." She let out a sigh, her shoulders relaxing, but only a bit.

"There must have been a reason why I was spared, that night of the massacre, and I've come to believe that this may be it. To help Konoha survive this oncoming slaughter. To help Hiromi, Takao, Kyouju, Max, Rei...and you."

Kai blinked, stunned at how she'd placed so much emphasis on that last word. Could she...? Yuriko did not seem to notice his shock. She smiled up at him, but her eyes were sad.

"All I want, Kai, is for you to get out of this _alive_. For you and your friends to escape, unharmed."

"Yuriko-"

"I know, I know, it all sounds so...dramatic..." she sighed again, still smiling. "But it's the truth." She tucked a stray strand of dark brown hair behind her ear, and she looked down at her feet; a soft, but insistent breeze began to blow. "You were my first close friends, _all_ of you. Did you know that? I don't think I'd ever gotten that close to anyone before the six of you came along. That's why...when I die in this fight, it'll be all right, I know-"

"Don't talk like that!" Kai hissed, careful to keep his voice low so the others wouldn't overhear their conversation. "No one's dying in this war, Yuriko, do you hear me? _No one_."

"But...how can you be so sure, Kai? There's no possible way-"

"How are you so sure that _you're_ going to die, Yuriko?"

The amethyst-eyed teen glanced up sharply. Gazing into the crimson depths, she saw past the tough, rock-hard, infallible facade...

A sharp intake of breath, and deep purple orbs widened considerably. There, beneath his cold exterior...

_Fear_.

Of what?

"...Kai...?" Tentatively, one hand sought the other, touching lightly, then springing back to her side, where she thought she knew it belonged.

For long moments, there was only the sound of their breathing; still they gazed into each other's eyes, reading..._understanding_ each other, for what seemed like the first time since they met.

Then, the silent connection broke as Yuriko turned away jerkily. She understood now, what the slate-haired teen was so afraid of...and she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to help him in any way.

"I...I have to go," she said suddenly. "I j-just remembered...I wanted to meet with Hokage-_sama_ to…to discuss the counter-attack..."

Kai reached out instantly, catching hold of her slim wrist. Yuriko stopped, stared at him, shocked at the gentleness of his touch…the concern in the deep, crimson pools. He frowned slightly, stepped forward, closing the distance between them.

"Don't…" he began, voice lower than normal. "Don't do it, Yuriko. Not tonight."

"Kai…" But a breath.

A slight nod to reassure the slate-haired teen, and then she ran back up the hallway, feet pit-patting lightly over the polished wood. A moment's pause as she slid open the screen door and put on her shoes, and then the sound of footsteps hurrying out into the night, rubber soles pounding the soft earth.

And Kai just stood there, trapped in one of those rare moments where he was absolutely unsure of what to do. Staring at where she had stood, gazing at him, and he at her. No words, no thoughts, just each other, the two of them…being.

At length, he sighed, turned, and went to his room, on the pretense of turning in for the night. Of course, he knew perfectly well that he would have a hard time falling asleep that evening.

* * *

"Hmmm..."

A low murmur, a groan, as Sasuke's head writhed upon the pillow. His pale hands gripped the even paler sheets, his teeth clenched, a frown upon his face. Sweat trickled down with aggravating slowness, staining the bedspread.

Another groan, the dark-haired teen's brow furrowed even more.

"No..."

* * *

_Black…a deep blackness…surrounding everything, a nothingness so intense it hurt… _

_Voices sounding all around…wait, not only that…_

_Screams…cries…yells so chilling it turned blood to ice. The wind seemed suddenly harsher, fiercer, more biting._

_Fear…anguish…pain…sounding from all sides._

No...

_Dark gray flames...fire so black it made the darkness seem white...leaping up, a macabre dance of joy...elation..._

_In death._

Who...?

_Streaks of color...dark, watery blue tinged with cerulean...stark, blue-white flashes...flame orange, fiery red...flashes of brown, deep purple..._

_A sharp scream. A splatter of dark, deadly crimson against the black canvas. Deep-throated chuckles, sounding so pleased at the deep red wash staining the perfect black that it raised the sensitive hairs at his nape._

_All around him now. Green, purple, blue, red...flashing...exploding outwards. More screams._

_A blur to his right. Yellow and orange. Another to his left, pink this time. Shadows above. Silver and dull blonde. Again, shouts and cries of pain and frustration. _

What is this...? Why...

_A coarse whisper, steel against leather. The unmistakable silvery gleam, glinting faintly in the half-light. Far away…and then…moving now! So quick…!_

Where is it?

_Too fast…can't see it…think! _

_A sharp pain, the wind knocked out of him. Slumped forward, breathing hard, shuddering…_

What...?

_A sword. In his side._

No.

_That deep-throated chuckle again, a shadow looming over him. Another sword, gleaming with unnatural inner light. Curving down, arcing towards him. _

_The initial sting, then the bite of steel against flesh. The smell of blood permeated the air…_

His_ blood._

* * *

"Aaaaaaaah!"

Sasuke jerked up, bedclothes heavily rumpled, sweat running off him in beads. He reached up a shuddering hand to his face, wiping away most of the moisture as best as he could.

_Another dream...no, nightmare..._ he thought, fighting to calm himself down.

Again, there was the question of its meaning. All those screams...the myriad of colors splashing everywhere...and the dark flame.

The Uchiha took a deep breath, swung his legs off the bed and got up. He walked over to the window of his room, took in the view of the sleeping village, a half moon gleaming palely over them all.

Peaceful, as it was meant to be.

Brow creased in concern, and he gripped the wooden windowsill.

But for how long?

* * *

A/N: Well, another chapter down, and probably quite a few more to go! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter...

Oh, by the way, I'm not sure if you guys have been checking these fics lately, but here goes:

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I might be taking down the stories 'Zutto Hitori Janai' and 'The First of Their Kind'. They've been neglected lately, and have less readership than anticipated. However, if even just one person states in his or her review that they don't want these fics to be taken down, then I shall, of course, continue. The same goes for PMs sent to me stating the same thing.

Well, that's all, _minna_! Peace out and God bless!


	13. Chapter 12: Progress

A/N: Okay, this is insane...I updated not even a week ago! XP I guess I'm just excited where this whole story is going. I think it's going to be my longest fic so far... XD

I hope everyone's enjoying; for those whose favorite characters haven't had their chance 'in the spotlight'... I hope their chance is coming soon...

Disclaimer: Oh, come on!

**

* * *

Chapter 12: Progress**

"Kai, Rei, get over here!"

A harsh whisper, then soft scuffles of feet trampling grass, and then Rei's eyes appeared through a gap in the bushes. "What is it, Yuriko?"

"There are two of them over there," the auburn-haired teen indicated a nearby clearing. "Apparently, they're scouting the area and haven't sensed your presences yet. Use that to your advantage and, as much as possible, use only your weapons to take them out. However, should they decide to use elemental techniques against you, just remember the element chart, and everything should be smooth sailing from there."

"Roger that!" the neko-jin said, the leaves above his eyes rustling slightly as though he'd just performed a salute, and the amber eyes disappeared.

Yuriko stood up, stretching out of the crouch she'd been in for ten minutes straight. _Not_ the best position to take for long periods of time. "Now, to other matters..." she muttered. She made her way to a rather large clump of trees, making as little noise as possible.

* * *

"Takao, are you sure volunteering to go first was a wise idea?" Max asked, gripping his _kunai_ tightly. His bright blue eyes darted from left to right, scanning their surroundings. Behind him, the stormy-eyed teen scoffed. 

"Max, what are you so worried about? There's no one here!"

"But remember what Kakashi-_sensei_ said?" the blonde tucked the weapon back into his pouch. He and his companion were wearing standard 'ninja gear': the sandals - which they found helped speed up their running - the forehead protector, and the weapons pouch. And they were in the Forest of Death. "_They_ could launch an attack any second!"

"Right...like they'd attack at this - Whoa!"

"Ack!"

Two dull _thunks_ as two _kunai_ embedded themself in the grassy loam at their feet. Both teens lowered their hands, the glow of chakra - Takao's a stark blue, Max's a majestic purple - slowly fading away, the shields they'd conjured as protection receding back into their bodies.

"Did you see where they came from?" Max asked, taking out his own weapon once more. Beside him, Takao shook his head slowly, drawing the _bokken_ from the makeshift sheath at his side.

"No, but I could use the angles of the embedded _kunai_ to calculate the angle of entry," the dark blue-haired teen suggested. Max frowned slightly.

"Takao, in case you haven't noticed, the _kunai_'s angles have changed; they were deflected by our shields, remember?"

The steel blue-eyed teen grinned sheepishly. "Oh, yeah..."

Suddenly, he heard it: the unmistakable whisper of steel against the wind. "Max!" he called, taking out a _kunai_ of his own. Beside him, the blonde nodded, then performed the neccessary hand seals.

"_Biransei no Jutsu_!" Max opened his mouth as though to force something very large out. Instead of air or some other substance, what came spewing out was a dark purple cloud, nearing black in some areas.

_Poison_.

It spread out in front of the blue-eyed boy, while Takao went behind his friend in order to not be affected by the gas. Then, Max nodded, indicating that they should conceal themselves whilst they had time; the poison cloud had barely dispersed. Both seperated, ducking down behind bushes on opposite ends of the clearing.

Hearts pumping, sweat forming at the hairline and starting downward, irritating and tickling. Knuckles turning near-white from the pressure exerted.

Suddenly, a loud crash like an explosion, and then a stark, white-blue flash that quickly did away with the toxic cloud. "Didn't think they'd use that poison cloud technique so early on..." a familiar voice said quietly, matching his light, quiet footsteps.

"Never underestimate the adversary, but allow him to dictate your actions..." an even quieter voice replied, sounding uncomfortably close to Takao's hiding place than the stormy-eyed teen would have liked.

_Awww, man...!_ Takao thought, frowning slightly. _Didn't think I'd be spotted so soon!_ With as much speed as he could muster in his cramped position and creating as little noise as possible, he returned the _kunai_ to his pouch and held a hand to the hilt of his _bokken_.

"Do you see - or sense - them?"

No response.

_Where are they? _Takao thought, crouching lower - but drastically lowering his defensive capability from such a stance - trying to peer through the gaps in the branches of the bush he'd chosen as a hiding place. Nothing.

And then, surprisingly, dark eyes met his through the same gap he was peering out of. Just as suddenly, the obstruction disappeared, and Takao knew what this meant.

He had to move. _Now_.

* * *

Kai leapt back as a dark blur charged up at him. A flash - no, the sensation of a flash - of steel to his left, and he made to block it with his own _kunai_. At the same, with his left hand (he'd used his right to block the initial blow), he took out three _shaken_ - the smaller version of the _shuriken_ - and flicked them one, two, three, at his opponent. Small _pings_ as they bounced off the other's weapon, and the crimson-eyed teen dropped to the ground, backflipping towards the nearest tree. The blur followed, drastically closing the distance Kai needed to perform an effective attack. 

A low sussurus, buzzing through the air towards him. _Shuriken_. Moved his arm upwards to block it, and then leapt up once more onto a branch.

_Have to...conceal myself...gain the advantage, somehow..._ the slate-haired teen thought, leaping from tree to tree, his adversary always one step behind him. He and Rei had been all set to spring their opponents from behind, but the plan had gone awry and now both teens were on the defensive instead.

Suddenly, a small, sloshing sound. It started out low and almost inaudible, but was growing considerably louder with each passing second.

_Shoot! _Kai thought. According to the element chart, his chakral nature - fire - would be weak against water and strong against wind.

He was facing a water-user.

_Think, Hiwatari! How do you turn the tables so they're in your favor?_

No use. He could hear the gurgling as the enemy coursed nearer towards him, seemingly gaining speed.

_Crap..._

* * *

_Darn it! _Rei thought as he ran, hair flying in the wind. _Of all people to go against_ _Too bad Kai and I got seperated..._

A hot streak of wind, blazing uncomfortably past the neko-jin's right ear. Moments later, he spotted a tree trunk with a hole straight through it; the tree behind it had a _kunai_ stuck in its bark. He shuddered, pressing himself to go faster.

_C'mon, Rei...how do you get yourself out of this one?_ He glanced left and right, quickly assessing his surroundings for any signs of his patrol partner. There were none.

Yet.

_They have to be around here, somewhere..._ the amber-eyed teen thought. He stopped for a moment, reaching into his weapons pouch for several _bo-shuriken_. These were essentially _shuriken_, but were shaped like _bo_ - bamboo staves - only smaller and with sharper ends. Rei backpedalled a bit, leaping up onto a higher branch, and threw them.

They did not connect, and the neko-jin whirled away, willing his legs to run faster. He wasn't about to let himself be on the recieving end of an attack.

As he ran, he surveyed his surroundings constantly for any sign of Kai. If they were to join forces, somehow, then perhaps there was still a way out of this fix...

* * *

"Aww, man..."Max groaned under his breath, reaching into his pouch for another _kunai_. He'd thrown the first one in an effort to distract his opponent. It had worked for only a while, and the blonde had found himself running faster in order to keep a good distance ahead of the other. 

_The guy runs like he's got a jet rocket strapped to his back!_ the bright blue-eyed teen thought, casting a quick backwards glance to gauge the distance. Not much.

_And I've yet to master any of the defensive techniques Neji-_san_ and Hinata-_san_ use...Just when I might have needed them, too... _The cousins had taken it upon themselves to train their newfound relative in combat techniques the Hyuuga clan was well-known for. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke had done the same with Rei, Takao, and Kai, respectively, adding a few more hours to the already-exhausting training sessions they had with Yuriko every other day. But Max was not one to complain; he knew how high the stakes were in this battle - one they had willingly offered to take a part in. And this was just one obstacle to winning that battle.

Then, an idea struck, and Max stopped, turning around to meet his attacker head-on. Hopefully, this would startle the ninja, gaining enough time for the blue-eyed teen to formulate a proper counter-attack.

True enough, the pursuer was surprised by the sudden change in strategy, from evasion to what looked like aggression, and he froze momentarily, being careful to keep to the shadows. That didn't matter.

The blonde quickly performed a few handseals. "_Swamp Trap_!" he yelled, placing his palms flat on the ground before him. In seconds, his opponent found himself trapped waist-deep in what looked like _very_ sticky, clingy mud. It would take some time - a few minutes, at the very most - for anyone, even a Jounin, to free himself from such a 'grounding' technique, but it was enough.

Max bounded away, going over the possibilities in his mind. He didnt' know what elemental techniques - if any - his opponent used, and he would have to allow for that.

_I just hope the others are all right..._

* * *

"Rei, get down!" 

The neko-jin glanced up, surprised, when he heard his former captain's voice. "Kai?"

"I said, _get down_!" the slate-haired teen shouted, landing on an overhanging branch and launching a giant fireball at his partner. Rei understood, ducking at the last minute as the flames blazed overhead, racing towards his opponent.

There was a minor explosion as the fireball collided into the trees...but no sign of Rei's opponent.

"Crap..." the amber-eyed teen muttered as he stood up, bounding over to Kai. "Did you get a good look at his - or her - face?"

Kai shook his head. "Unfortunately, I didn't; whoever it was kept to the shadows...""So, he - Kai, _look out_!"

The crimson-eyed teen jumped away just as a giant water dragon crashed down on the spot he'd been standing on. The branch fractured, and Rei was forced to jump to another branch as well.

_Suiryuudan no Jutsu_... the neko-jin noted. He crouched, readying himself for the technique Yuriko and Kakashi had helped him form to be used as his personal trump card. It utilized the speed Byakko had granted him, added to his knack for balance and agility. If performed properly, it would be as though the target had been hit by lightning, but not quite. _Since Kai's facing a water-user, this should be somewhat effective..._

"_Explosive Tiger Fang_!" he exclaimed, launching himself towards Kai's opponent in a burst of bright green chakra - quite different from the gentle green glow of healing chakra. Imitating the centrifugal spin of his Beyblade and translating it into human action had been no easy feat, but he'd managed to do it at last, and now Rei could see where it would come in handy. Judging from the blurs of the forest that surrounded him, he was going too fast to be seen by the naked eye. He extended his arms, a _kunai_ clutched in each fist, and then slashed downward, once, twice, thrice, four times as he whirled round and round in quick succession. There was barely time to react, and there was a thud as the opposition collapsed.

Rei landed lightly on the branch, next to the person he'd just attacked, and Kai landed on the next branch over. The amber-eyed teen glanced towards his partner, giving a small smile.

"Well, guess that takes care of that..."

* * *

_Darn it_! Max thought as he dodged another attack. _I haven't thought of a good counter-attack yet!_

Another crackle of electricity, and the blonde jumped to a higher branch. _Maybe if I get a good look at the guy, I'll be able to formulate some sort of plan..._

Then...

"Oof!" the blue-eyed teen exclaimed as he fell flat on his bottom.

"Sorry about that..."

Max glanced up, then grinned. "Takao!"

The dragon-wielder smiled cheekily, extending his hand towards his friend. "Here, lemme help you up."

Max dusted himself off, then glanced around. "Did you get rid of your opponent already?"

Takao shook his head. "Nope. He's still behind me...I think."

"Great..."

Suddenly, flashes of red and blue-white light came from below, and Max and Takao leapt up onto the higher branches.

"They've combined their attacks!" Max noted, almost disheartened by how devastating the attack looked.

"Then we'll try to combine ours, too!" Takao yelled back, over the roar of lightning and flame. "Do your Water Dragon thing!"

"You really think this will work?" Max asked, even as he performed the seals.

The dark blue-haired teen shook his head wildly. "But it's worth a shot!" He, too, did several seals of his own.

"_Bursting Water Dragon Wave_!"

"_Great Dragon Hurricane_!"

The two teens had been working with Yuriko to incorporate what had been their bit beasts' attacks into each of their small combat arsenals, but neither of them had used the resulting techniques in confrontation.

To their surprise, the two attacks, sent in the same direction, joined together, the high speed and low temperature of the wind causing the gigantic wave of water to solidify.

_Ice...? _Max and Takao exchanged surprised glances, then leapt away in opposite directions, a precaution they took in tandem in case their technique gave way to their opponents'.

There was a humming sound, and then an explosion as the opposing elements clashed into one another. The duo took shelter behind tree trunks, away from the worst of the resultant debris. And then...

Silence.

Max peered around the trunk he'd hidden behind, searching for Takao and spotting him. "What happened?" he called, stepping out cautiously onto a branch that had been unaffected by the explosion.

"I don't know!" Takao replied, following suit. "Let's check it out..." Both jumped down to where they guessed their opponents had stood, finding nothing.

"Weird..." Takao muttered, taking in their surroundings.

"Yeah...they disappeared...just like that..." the blue-eyed teen added, glancing about as well.

* * *

"...Well, you four have certainly improved..." Sakura commented as she finished patching up the slashes Yuriko had recieved. 

"I'll say!" the auburn-haired teen half-laughed, glancing at Rei, who sat a few feet away, his face downcast. "Rei, you perfected the new technique Kakashi-_san_ and I helped you work out, and it went great!"

"Yeah, but I _hurt you_ in the process..." the neko-jin said sullenly.

"Well, that _was _the point of the exercise, wasn't it?" Kakashi asked, taking a sip of the green tea Hiromi had set in front of him. "To learn how catch the enemy by surprise and deduce a strategy while under threat of personal injury?"

Around fifteen minutes earlier, all eight of them - Yuriko, Asuma, Kakashi, Sasuke, and the four members of Team BBA - had gathered at Yuriko's house to discuss the results of the battle exercise they had gone through.

"Yeah, but I don't think I should have gone that far..."

"Rei, it's all right now..." Yuriko said, walking over to him and laying a hand on his shoulder. "No harm done, and it shows us how far you've come in your training. No pain, no gain, right?"

"Well, I suppose..."

"At any rate...Kai, what was that technique you used back there?" Asuma asked, stubbing his cigarette out in a nearby ashtray. "It looked like the Great Fireball technique, but you didn't perform any of the seals needed for that."

The slate-haired teen glanced at Yuriko, then up at the bearded Jounin. "Yuriko's been helping the four of us convert our bit beasts' attacks into techniques of our own, Asuma-_san_. The one I did back in the forest was a variation - the second form of Suzaku's Volcano Emission attack."

"I see..."

"And the first form would be-?" Kakashi pressed. He'd found it interesting that these four were making up their own techniques, based on the attacks of the sacret beasts they'd once controlled.

"Exactly that, Kakashi-_san_: a miniature volcano. I can only use it when I'm on the ground though, so that the flames come _up_ through the earth..."

"Hmm..." the masked ninja turned to Max and Takao, who were conversing excitedly, no doubt about the combination attack they'd done in the forest. "And the two of you were able to accidentally discover a combined technique of your own."

Takao nodded, smiling. "Yup! It was awesome!"

"Great for creating shields and stuff," Max added, grinning from ear to ear.

Sakura shook her head. "I can see the resemblance between Naruto and Takao, but between Neji, Hinata, and Max? None whatsoever..."

"Oh, yeah!" Yuriko said suddenly. She turned to Hiromi, who had just come out from the kitchen. "Hiromi-_san_, I just remembered, but how's your training going?"

"It's going great!" Hiromi replied, sliding the screen door closed.

Takao looked surprised. "You're training, too?"

The ruby-eyed teen nodded, smiling. "I was getting so tired of sitting back and watching you guys, so I asked Yuriko if there was something I could do. After we got the go-ahead from Tsunade-_sama_, I started training with Tenten."

"Yikes!" went Takao, scurrying into a corner. Embedded in the spot where his head had been moments earlier was the bladed end of a modified _manrikigusari_. The original weapon consisted of a three-foot-chain with weights at both ends; this had a weight at one end, and a small sickle-shaped blade at the other. Hiromi had thrown it, just for emphasis on what she'd said.

"So, we'll be having another weapons user when the time comes..." Sasuke noted. "And she's even learned to hide them well."

"That's good." Asuma commented, taking out another cigarette and lighting it. "That way, we have more long-range attack units. That should be helpful when the Shikino finally decide to move in."

"Which I don't think can be very far off..." Yuriko added.

"Well, at any rate, you guys are making swift progress..." Kakashi commented as he stood up. "I'd best be on my way now; Tsunade made me promise to report to her regularly on your training..."

"I'll go, too. I feel awkward being the only adult here..." Asuma went and joined the silver-haired man in the outer hall.

"_Dewa mata, _Kakashi-_san, _Asuma-_san_..." Yuriko said as she got up, intending to see him properly to the door; she'd finally gotten over calling them '_sensei_'. With one last wave to the group, the two Jounin were gone.

* * *

"So, ever since you started training, you've started seeing your opponents' moves as though they were a movie playing in slow motion?" Sasuke asked, arms crossed. Kai, who sat next to him on the porch, nodded sullenly. Usually he relied on his own judgement when it came to confusing things, but the slate-haired teen decided to break this habit, just once; it had been several weeks now since he started seeing everything slowed down when in combat, and he _still _hadn't found a logical explanation for the strange phenomenon. 

"I felt like I had to ask you about it, since, according to Tsunade, the two of us are closely related," Kai said as some sort of explanation. A few moments later, Sasuke turned and gave a small smile.

"There's your proof right there."

"'Proof', you say?"

Sasuke sat down - he'd been standing a while ago. "You seemed skeptical about our being cousins. The bloodline limit of the Uchiha clan is the Sharingan. Those who can utilize it are able to read and predict the movements of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, and, if they so wished, copy these techniques. That's the reason for the slow motion effect, and probably why you were able to hold your own the first time we met...

"Since you inherited the Uchiha genes from your mother, I think your permanently crimson eyes are a by-product of the dilution of the gene that carries the ability to use the Sharingan. And maybe this diluted _kekkei genkai_ manifested itself only when you came here because-"

"You're wrong." Kai said suddenly, remembering something.

"Excuse me?"

"You're wrong, Sasuke," the slate-haired teen replied, making his voice a little louder. "True, what I have may be a diluted version of your clan's bloodline limit, but it didn't manifest itself only when I arrived here. It happened much earlier..."

"Oh?" One elegant jet-black eyebrow arched in interest.

Kai nodded; he looked a bit out of it because he was remembering scenes from his early days of Beyblading onward. "As you already know, from where we come from, my friends and I are a Beyblading team, a championship team to be exact. When I was around twelve - when I entered my first championship tournament - I noticed that I could predict where my opponents were and what they were going to do next based on their blades' position in the stadium. I never gave it much thought before, because I believed I'd just memorized the attack and defense patterns of most blades with the same build and structure. But when I saw that it worked for humans, too..."

For a few minutes, both teens were lost in the silence, then Kai spoke up once more. "How do you learn to control this...Sharingan?"

"There really isn't one concrete way to mastering this _kekkei genkai_," the obsidian-eyed teen replied. "You just keep training as usual, only using the Sharingan as much as possible so you can train your body to react according to what it tells you will happen next. You could also try copying several techniques, but since what you have is a diluted version, it might not work as well..."

"I'll keep that in mind..."

"Kai? Sasuke-_san_?" Yuriko's head poked out of the back door _shoji_. "Won't you come inside? It's time for dinner now, and I don't think Takao or Naruto are willing to wait any longer..."

Kai chuckled; he knew the dragon-wielder's penchant for food and his accompanying eating habits. He stood up. "Fine. We'll be right there, Yuriko." The auburn-haired teen disappeared back into the house, and Kai turned to Sasuke.

"C'mon, let's go; if we don't, even the _table_ will be gone by the time we get in there."

* * *

"How much longer, sir?" 

"A few more weeks, perhaps. Give them a chance to relax..."

A cruel smile, a whisper of steel, and then a _shk!_ as the _kunai_ embedded itself in the ground.

"And then..._we attack_."

* * *

A/N: Chapter 12, fini! XD Maybe November is my 'Golden Month', where my fics are updated at incredible speed! XP Only kidding. Oh, as for the techniques Team BBA uses, they're not canon - just made up on the spur of the moment, by yours truly. I was contemplating using the Japanese names for the techniques, but thought you guys would be confused. So...if you want to know the original name of the technique, please say so in your review or through a PM, and I'll get back to you. 

Well, that's it for this installment! Peace out and God bless! D


	14. Chapter 13: Moonlit Path

A/N: Whoa! Another chapter?! Insane? Probably... I won't keep you guys from the story for too long. Well, here ya go!

Disclaimer: ...do I really have to?**

* * *

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**Chapter 13: By Moonlit Sky Thou Shall Find...**

Nighttime. All the village was quiet and resting, dreaming of the good day they'd had, and the promise of the new day when they awoke. The sky seemed to shimmer, a smooth, velvet black canvas, completely blank but for the pale moon painted low on its surface, casting a gentle, silver light over the Village of the Leaf. The light crept in through cracks and crevasses and windows - maybe holes in the ceiling - brightening some objects and throwing others into deep shadow. The young rays - for the moon had just risen - leapt and chased after one another, hiding behind the occasional cloud bank that chose to wander by. The wind joined in the game, whispering excitedly as it danced and sang through the reeds and treetops. The fireflies - and other tiny insects - were witness to this moonlight game, and they flashed their tiny lights in concert with the wind's tune.

One mischievous ray of moonlight stole away from the group and found its way into the Uchihara manor. Thinking it harmless, it chose to shine on a random sleeping teen's face. Bothered by the sudden brightness, Takao mumbled incoherently and turned on his _futon_, facing away from the window that caused him disturbance. Almost at once, he settled back down and almost returned to the dreamland, where a great feast had last been prepared for him...

_Clunk!_

"Ow!" Takao sat up, wide awake now, rubbing his head. A few feet from the padded mattress lay a sizable book. It was Kyouju's, and it had been sitting on the nearby table in this particular guest room. Glancing up and spotting a familiar silhouette, he deduced what must have happened and grumbled. "Max, could you be a little more careful?"

"Sorry!" Max said, sounding hurried. Takao rubbed his eyes, and then reached for the light. A soft _click_, and the room brightened. The dark blue-haired teen noticed that his friend had a dark green shirt on and was in the process of donning the Konoha _hitai-ate_, but still wore his pajama bottoms.

"Max? Why are you dressing?"

The blonde opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the door sliding open noisily.

"I thought the instructions were clear!" Hiromi hissed loudly. "No lights!" She reached up, and the room descended into darkness once more.

"H-hang on!" Takao stumbled to his feet, tripping more than once over his rumpled blanket. "Hiromi, what's happening?" He caught her arm and found that the ruby-eyed girl was clad in a kimono-top with slightly flared sleeves, a detail he'd missed in the seconds between her entrance into the room and when she flicked off the lights.

"Max, you didn't tell him?"

Takao could almost see the blonde shaking his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Hiromi; I-I was such in a hurry to get dressed that I guess I forgot..."

A heavy sigh, and then Hiromi pulled Takao closer. "Look, we just recieved word from Yuriko that the Shikino have started moving. Kai left a few minutes ago with Rei and Yuriko, but he said that we were to prepare to go out and help. The Hokage doesn't want any lights on in the entire village, except for the places that are usually lit at night, so the Shikino don't know that we're on to them. However, they're surrounding the village even as we speak!"

"Wh-what?!" The stormy-eyed teen was aghast. "So soon? It's only been three weeks since we started training intensively! We're not yet ready!"

"Regardless, Takao-_san_, we must go..." Yuriko's quiet voice interrupted.

"Yuriko!" Hiromi let go of Takao's arm and went over to the girl. "Why are you here? Did something happen? I thought you were at the front line of defense on the other side of the village, where the main gates are."

A small smile, and the auburn-haired teen laid a gentle hand on the other's shoulder. "Nothing happened, Hiromi-_san_, but my orders have been changed."

"Your orders were changed? How do you mean?" Max asked, finally emerging from the room. He looked wide-awake and alert. Already he clutched a _kunai_ in one hand, lending to his battle-ready aura. He looked confident, and had every right to. He'd managed to master the _Hakkeshou Kaiten_ just two days ago, never mind that it was of lower level than his cousin Neji's; it would be effective, nonetheless.

"The Hokage wants me to help lead a team into the powerhouse of the Shikino forces. That would be to the southern sector of Konohagakure-"

" - Through the woods at the rear of this property." Hiromi realized. Takao's eyes widened.

"That's _too_ close for my liking..." he commented, shuddering inwardly at the possibility of having been murdered in his sleep.

"In any case, Takao, you'd better get dressed, too." Yuriko continued. It sounded like a request, but her tone of voice indicated a command; Takao had no choice but to turn and go back into the room to fetch his clothes and weapons.

"Oh, and here," the amethyst-eyed girl added, placing a small scroll into Max's hand. "This scroll contains orders for all three of you. Kai and Rei have already recieved theirs, and Kyouju is with Shikamaru, working on back-up strategem, in case my mission doesn't go as planned." With that, Yuriko turned quickly on her heel and strode down the hall, back towards the front door.

Max and Hiromi just stood staring after her disappearing figure until it was gone from their sight completely, rather surprised by their behavior.

"She seems more edgy than usual..." Hiromi noted, sounding more than a little puzzled.

"Yeah..." Max nodded. "I wonder why..."

"Okay, guys! I'm ready!" Takao exclaimed rather loudly as he stepped into the hallway.

"Hush!" Hiromi berated. "I swear, Takao, your voice could wake an entire village if you wanted to!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Hiromi," the blue-haired teen said, waving her comment away. "Let's just get - hey! What's with the scroll thing?"

"Huh?" For a moment, Max looked confused, and then remembered that he hadn't opened the scroll Yuriko had given him earlier. "Oh, yeah! Come closer, Takao; the orders in here are for all three of us."

"'Kay."

Slowly, the blue-eyed teen undid the thin rope holding the scroll closed, and then unrolled it a few inches, watching the message unfold bit by bit. By the time they reached the end, it was clear why Yuriko had been on edge.

"No...way..."

* * *

"All right..." Kakashi began, tucking the small, orange book - which he carried everywhere - back into his pocket. "Is everyone here now?"

"All units present, Kakashi-_san_," Yuriko spoke up from beside him. She looked very somber in her black shirt and dark olive green flak jacket. She wore fingerless gloves on her hands, and, in addition to the weapons pouch she carried, a _wazikashi_ dangled from her hip. This last one was the traditiona short sword, usually used for ritual suicide. Tonight, though, circumstances were different, and its role was to be different than the norm; it would take no one's life but the enemy's.

Kai glanced up when he heard how cold and mechanical Yuriko's voice sounded. He wasn't used to that!_ Talk about a personality change..._ He adjusted his black fingerless gloves so that they fit more comfortably, and then fingered the dark piece of cloth he'd worn around his neck instead of his customary white scarf. It wouldn't do for your clothing to give away your position, especially given the situation they were facing. Out of boredom, he noted who else had gathered in the clearing

Standing in a rough circle around Kakashi and Yuriko were Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, Neji, and Hinata. They would be the 'main squad' for Mission: Take Down.

Takao, Max, Rei, Kai, and Hiromi had received the same orders: accompany and assist the mission squad, and act as back-up should things go wrong. The members of Team BBA were spread out across the small clearing, still within hearing range, but it was understood that the mission had begun the minute they'd set foot in the forest that night. Their first task was clear: act as look-outs while battle strategy was discussed; information would be disseminated to them as soon as the plans had been laid out.

_Awww, man..._ Takao groaned inwardly, fingering the handle of his _kunai_ as he leaned against the steadily-rotting pine tree trunk. _This is just _so_ wrong! We're _definitely _not ready..._

A few feet away from him, to the right, stood Max, his hands in his pockets - a nervous gesture, in this case - looking unsettled as he tried to concentrate, to no avail. The dark blue-haired teen knew that Rei was up in a tree somewhere to his left - maybe further than he thought - keeping watch from above; this would give them the advantage if the Shikino decided to move towards this general area. And across from him stood Hiromi, _naginata_ in hand.

At length, Yuriko gave a signal, telling everyone to move closer. Takao pocketed the knife and joined the group, sighing inwardly.

"All right, listen up," Kakashi began. He crouched down, forcing everyone else to hunch closer in order to hear him. "Our principal targets are Shinichi and Shinji. These two are the puppeteers behind this whole mess, so we have to take them out. The secondary targets are Eiji and Keitaro, the two most powerful ninja in the Shikino clan."

"Eiji and Keitaro?" Takao exclaimed upon hearing their names. "Yuriko, aren't they the two who-"

"Yes, Takao, they are, indeed, the same people," Yuriko replied, the harsh tone of her voice startling the stormy-eyed teen. "Please, keep your voice down; if our positions were to be given away..."

Takao nodded, understanding the amethyst-eyed teen's unspoken message. Yuriko gestured to her former mentor, indicating that he continue.

"By taking these four down, we reduce the number of dangerous adversaries the other Konoha ninja must guard against. Since this sector of the village is hard to get to, defense troops may not get here in time. It's our job to give buy them enough time to do so, at the same time lessening the risks they must take."

There was no hint of playfulness in Kakashi's voice now; the scenario was all too familiar for him. "The best way to avoid detection as we near the targets is to split up into small groups of two, at the very least, all the way up to four at the very most," he went on, adjusting his forehead protector. "Once within attack range, Yuriko and I will carry out the assassination part of this mission; another group of two to three people will serve as our back-up, while the rest of you will take out the, shall I say...external units, to minimize risk of discovery."

_As-assassination? _Max's eyes widened as he realized what was being asked of them. _No way!_ He glanced at Yuriko, more than a little shocked. _Yuriko could _never_ kill anyone, even with that...bloodline thingy of hers..._

"We estimate that, given our advantage of surprise, the assassination group should be in and out within twelve minutes. Five, if the targets are caught completely off-guard." Yuriko was saying. "Listen on your radios for the signal either of us will give. If twelve to fifteen minutes have passed and the signal hasn't been given, then..." Yuriko glanced at each of the members of Team BBA, so new to her world yet so willing to help, and was instantly sorry for bringing them into this. She took a deep breath and began again. "...Then, that's your sign to follow us in and finish the job. Afterwards, fall back and return to the village. Don't trouble yourselves with searching for us; in this situation, we either make it, or we don't. There are no in-between options. Does everyone understand?"

One by one, they nodded, slowly coming to terms with the weight of the mission handed them. Failure on their part - along with possible loss of life, heaven forbid - would mean the Shikino's chances of victory would increase drastically, and this could not be allowed.

Hinata bit her lip, suddenly nervous. Yes, she _had_ grown up quite a bit through the years, but that didn't stop her from falling into self-doubt once in a while; she was still, she thought, at a lower level compared to Neji, so it was a bit of a surprise that she had been chosen for such an important mission. Then, she felt a warm, gentle hand on her shoulder, and glanced up.

It was Naruto.

"Hinata, don't be so worried," he said by way of assurance, grinning that cocky grin he'd had since childhood. "It'll go great, you'll see. And don't you think being chosen for the mission is a sign of Tsunade-_babaa_'s faith in your abilities?"

The pale-eyed girl blushed slightly, falling back on her reflexes from when she was young. "Um...uh...I-I guess...y-you're right, Naruto-_kun_..."

The blue-eyed teen's hand moved until he was holding her pale hand in his, and he gave it a small squeeze. "Why don't you be part of my group? I know I'm a bit low on defense, so I might need your help at some point..."

"A fine suggestion, Naruto," Kakashi interrupted suddenly, the laid-back attitude suddenly returning. Naruto's eyes widened, and Hinata gave a small gasp and reddened a bit more. She and Naruto had been seen holding hands -!

"Before we set out, perhaps the groups should be decided. All groups make sure that you have a good defense as well as offense; the Hokage stressed that retaining one hundred percent manpower would be one of our priorities."

Murmurs broke out as the group, except Kakashi and Yuriko, began discussing the best distribution. Several minutes passed before they reached a decision.

"So Sasuke and Kai will form one two-man team," Kakashi began after seeing how they'd grouped themselves, "Naruto, Takao, Hinata, and Hiromi a four-man team; and Sakura, Rei, Max, and Neji, another four-man team. Are you sure this is the formation you want to head out in?" The silver-haired Jounin fixed his gaze on the Uchiha and his companion. "Sasuke, Kai, are you okay with this arrangement? There are only two of you, and-"

"We can take care of ourselves, Kakashi," Sasuke answered abruptly. Kai kept quiet, but his eyes conveyed the same message.

"All right, then...We'll head deeper into the forest now. Remember, stick with your teammates and keep a distance of fifteen meters - around fifty feet - from the other teams. When you're around ten meters into the forest, stop and wait for the sound check that will also serve as an info lay-out; you'll know how far away each team is from the other, and Yuriko or I will contact you with details on the proximity of the targets - depending on who spots 'em first - and an estimate on the 'entourage'. Got it?"

"_Hai_!"

"All teams, spread out!"

One by one, the young ninja leapt into the surrounding trees, moving southward and using the quarter moon as their guide. Yuriko and Kakashi stayed behind, if only for a few moments.

"Yuriko..." Kakashi began, adjusting his weapons pouch while the younger ninja adjusted the ropes that held the _wazikashi_ at her side. "You don't have to do this, you know..."

"Unfortunately, Kakashi-_san_," Yuriko glanced at her teacher, grim smile on her face. "I'm the only one who can."

* * *

_What's taking so long? _Kai wondered as he played with a _kunai_, trying to balance the knife tip on the tip his finger without injuring himself. Sasuke, clad in an all-black outfit and dark gray arm bands, crouched on one of the lower branches. The Uchiha's eyes burned crimson now as he cast quick glances about, straining to catch any sign that an enemy was close.

The slate-haired teen ran a hand through his bangs, exhaling heavily. He hated being restless; he thought it proved him of weak character. In an effort to expel some of his tension and boredom, he pocketed the knife, performed a few seals in rapid succession, and then held out a hand. Slowly, a small fireball, no bigger than a large ping-pong ball, took shape, throwing his face into high relief and deep shadow.

Then...

_Ksh-kshk!_

Kai reached up two fingers and pressed the tiny phone a bit more into his ear so he could hear better.

_"Teams, what are your positions?"_

Sasuke pressed the small switch hanging from a wire attached to his collar and spoke. "Sasuke here. Kai and I are around ten meters from the origin, approximately thirty degrees northeast, Kakashi."

_"Twelve meters from origin, forty-five degrees southeast," _Neji's voice came next over the radio.

_"Naruto, Hinata, what's your team's position?" _Yuriko pressed when nothing was heard from this last team.

_"We...we don't know yet, Yuriko-_san_..." _Naruto answered hesitantly after a few more moments.

_"We're still trying to estimate how far we've come, in what direction..." _Takao continued, sounding sheepish.

_"N-Naruto-_kun_..."_

_"What is it, Hinata?"_

_"Um...I, uh... think we're around nine meters into the forest, ten degrees northwest..."_

_"Thank you, Hinata," _Kakashi replied. _"Yuriko, your position."_

_She's out there alone! _Kai realized, crimson eyes widening. _Dammit...Whose idea is it to send a _girl_ out on her own?!_

_"Twenty meters from exit point, twelve degrees south, Kakashi-_san_," _Yuriko replied.

_"All right. Moving south, currently forty-five degrees northwest from you, Yuriko. Any sign of the target?"_

_"None yet, Kakashi, looks like - oh, wait..."_

For a few minutes, the static rang in Kai's ear as he waited tensely for Yuriko to speak. Finally, the radio crackled to life again, and the crimson-eyed teen could feel himself exhaling with relief at the sound of her voice.

_"I've just avoided detection by the advance scout," _she reported. _"That means the target can't be far behind."_

_"How many?" _Kakashi pressed, meaning how many scouts had been sent.

_"Five. I'm going after one now; it lessens the chances that I'll be spotted at some point.. Sasuke, Kai, heads up; two are headed your way. Same goes for your group, Naruto. Looks like they've split up."_

_"Just to confirm: no one's moved from their position?" _Kakashi asked, his question directed at the different teams.

"Affirmative, Kakashi; maintaining position."

_"Awaiting orders," _Neji added.

_"Ditto." _That was Naruto.

_"Excellent!" _Kakashi sounded pleased. _"Yuriko, I'm nearing your previous position. Everyone else, if you spot the scouts Yuriko mentioned, take them out quickly and silently."_

_"Wakatta,"_

"_Hai_." Sasuke took his finger of the switch, and then glanced at Kai. "You heard that?"

"Two advance scouts coming our way; take them down and out. Fast."

The Uchiha nodded, giving a small smile. He hadn't participated in any other major missions before this, and he'd missed the adrenalin rush he felt whenever he did. It felt good to be back in the game.

"Let's roll."

* * *

"Well, that takes care of 'em," Naruto said, brushing his palms off. "Not too hard, really..."

"Uh-huh..." Hiromi rolled her eyes good-naturedly as she retrieved her the bladed end of her modified _manrikigusari_. "If I recall correctly, you wouldn't be here right now if Hinata hadn't sensed that one attack and saved your sorry butt." The ruby-eyed girl turned to her female teammate. "Great reflexes, Hinata! You saved us back there."

The pale-eyed Hyuuga, whose short blue-black hair had now grown out, blushed. "Um...thanks. It...it was n-nothing, really."

"There's no need to be so shy, you know..." Hiromi, looped an arm around the girl's shoulder.

"Uh...Kakashi, Yuriko, our area is...secured," Takao said, speaking into the radio, though he was unsure of how to phrase his 'report'. "Both scouts are down, and rest assured that neither of them will be getting up."

_"Good work, guys." _Yuriko said by way of congratulating them. _"Now, we just have to-"_

_"Yuriko, external targets have been neutralized," _Kai's voice suddenly came on.

_"Great! That's five less ninja to worry about," _the amethyst-eyed teen sounded genuinely pleased that so far, everything was going smoothly._ "Anyway, Kakashi-_san_ and I have just sighted the targets and their companions. Aside from the four targets..." _she paused, probably to get re-estimate, but her companion beat her to it.

_"I'd say there are around two hundred men uh...escorting them," _Kakashi said, saving Yuriko the trouble.

"Did he say _two hundred_?!" Takao mouthed to his companions. All three nodded; they, of course, had heard.

_"Proximity?" _Neji asked, straight to the point as always.

_"External units are scattered in a fan-shaped formation, all heading south. Around twenty meters directly north from our current position."_

_"Kai, Sasuke, adjust your position." _Kakashi came back on the line and began to give instructions.

_"Specifics?"_

_"Around forty degrees northeast, then begin travelling in that direction for...around twelve minutes. That should take you to seven meters from the target."_

_"Wakarimasu_._"_

_"Neji, adjust position by seventy degrees northeast; Naruto, ten degrees adjustment, same direction. We'll all rendezvouz with Kai and Sasuke - they're closer, so they'll arrive first at rendezvouz point - and then discuss tactics."_

_"Roger that,"_

"_Hai_!"

* * *

"Is the plan clear?" Kakashi glanced up from the picture he'd carved into the thick, moss-covered branch. For the past ten minutes after the Shikino forces had set up camp, the group of twelve had been going over idea after idea, finally finding one that suited them. From there, they'd formulated a plan of attack, and a back-up should the first one fail.

Naruto nodded, the laid-back, happy-go-lucky expression wiped clean from his face. Neji sat beside him, mouth set in a grim line. He was used to danger, having been recruited into the ANBU around a year ago, but dealing with two hundred ninja was no easy feat, even for a 'genius'. Also, one couldn't help remembering that he and his companions were only teens, and their foes were at least twice as old as they.

On Naruto's other side crouched Sasuke, crimson orbs aglow He'd listened to the plan as Kakashi outlined it for all of them, but he kept his gaze on the throng of dark ninja, trying to make out what would be the best point of entry for them. The hairs at his nape were standing on end, chilled by the sheer amount of evil intent emanating from them, made detectable all the more because of his short stint with another evil entity. He knew what dark energy felt like, having harbored it inside him at one time. Thank goodness he'd locked it away now, but he didn't know for how long...

"Naruto, Neji," the masked Jounin went on, catching and holding the two teens' gazes now. "Since both of you are more or less the most experienced in you respective teams, I want each of you to lead them."

Neji nodded in agreement, but Naruto looked very shocked indeed.

"M-_me_?!"

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "I figure it will be good training for you, so you'll learn how to form a strategy of your own instead of relying on brute strength or ability all the time." The silver-haired man turned to the other Hyuuga beside him. "Hinata."

"Y-yes?"

"I want you to be Naruto's second,"

"Ka...Kakashi-_san_?"

Another smile. "I want you to be the second-in-command for your team. In the event that Naruto falls into enemy hands or is unable to continue his duties for any reason, _you_ will take over."

Pale, lavender orbs widened, and then a small smile lit up the girl's face. "_Hai_! I'll do my very best!" Determination and happiness mixed inside her, for having been given that position; Hinata knew she couldn't betray that trust.

"Sakura, I want you to be Neji's second."

"Got it!"

"Sasuke, Kai, you two watch each other's backs."

The slate-haired teen nodded, brows slightly furrowed. The Uchiha said nothing, but the look on his face was answer enough.

"I'm sure Yuriko explained fully the implications of the diagram each ninja wears on their sleeve," Kakashi went on, standing up now and gazing at the camp they were about to infiltrate - and utterly destroy, if possible. Unmasked, all looked the same: dark hair, darker eyes. "Each of them was trained to and _will_ kill, be it man, woman, child, elderly, sickly."

"That's why we need the advantage of surprise," Yuriko added. "Now that they've set camp, even for just a few hours, it makes it that much harder to catch them off-guard."

"Kakashi, I believe the best course would be to attack from the rear," Sasuke suddenly spoke up, having finished observing the black nins. "The men there are most probably the weakest of the lot, having been placed at the back."

"Sasuke's right," Neji piped up, activating his Byakugan to confirm what the Uchiha had said. "Their chakra signatures are not that strong, indicating possible weakness, and there are only around fifty of them. If we move fast enough and hit hard, we should be able to take them out easily, surprising the other one hundred and fifty retainers that are left."

"Hmm..." The masked ninja looked thoughtful, and then turned his gaze towards the Shikino encampment. "That makes sense, and it fits perfectly into the plan...All right, we enter from the rear of their formation, working our way to the front. Remember: work as quickly and as stealthily as possible. Help each other as well; if you see or sense a threat to a teammate, act on it immediately. Let's try to make it so no one has to worry about themselves because the others are doing the worrying, all right?"

Murmurs of agreement, and then everyone stood up.

"Mission: Take Down, commence!"

* * *

A/N: I have NO idea what's wrong with me. Those military terms - if they are, indeed, inspired by the military - came out on their own! I swear! I hope you didn't have a hard time 'deciphering' this. So, you all know what to do, right?

Peace out and God bless! ...oh, and there's another chapter waiting for all of you. Hehe...yes, I'm an insane updater...


	15. Chapter 14: Nani mo Nai o Shitte

Disclaimer: Hikari only shares Masashi Kishimoto's birthday; all character depicted herein belong to the latter, while the clan of darkness and Takenoichi Yuriko belong to the former.**

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Chapter 14: Nani mo Nai o Shitte

"Why do you suppose they set up camp?" Max asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Sakura shrugged.

"Who knows? They're probably expecting they'll gain easy access to the village via this route, so they figure they won't waste time if they rest for a while..."

"Underestimating the enemy, a grave mistake for a ninja to make," Neji said quietly, scanning the nearby trees for their companions.

Rei crouched next to Max, nervously eyeing several men with swords strapped to their backs. This was probably the closest he would get to a lethal weapon, and he didn't like it one bit. But what choice did he have?

"There's the signal!" Neji said suddenly, spotting the slight flicker of flame a few meters away from him. "Go!"

In tandem, Rei and Max leapt down into the clearing, landing lightly on the dirt floor. Regaining their balance quickly, they ran towards the first two ninja they could see. As he ran, Max performed the seals he needed for what was turning to be his favorite technique. Soon, the two ninja found themselves waist-deep in dark brown muck.

"Rei, your turn!"

The neko-jin needed no urging. He knew they had to act fast, and barely two seconds had passed since the execution of Max's technique then the two victims felt a sharp pain in their chests and fell silent, unable to sound the alarm. Rei quickly retrieved his now-bloodied _kunai_ while beside him, Max belched a small cloud of poison, serving as a mask for their teammates' entrance.

Not far away, Neji had just performed a chakra-augmented sword strike to one man's chest, to the neck of one other, and was finishing off a third with a kite to the stomach. Sakura was busy burying four or five in the earth with her superhuman strength - courtesy of her training with Tsunade. The large chunks of rock flying through the air managed to knock down two more.

"Any sign of the others?" Rei asked as he ran up. While waiting for any of his three companions to answer, he sent one man flying with a Lightning Fist - a variation of Byakko's Gatling Claw. He turned back to his teammates, the electricity crackling as it faded away.

"Naruto's should be somewhere to our left, since Kakashi and Company elected to enter from the right," Sakura replied, punching one man unconscious (at the very least).

"You were right, Neji," Max commented as he plunged his _kunai_ into the gut of an oncoming Shikino ninja. The blonde grimaced as he withdrew the weapon, earning a gurgling sound from the man's throat as he fell. "Oh, gross..." He shuddered and then turned back to the pale-eyed teen. "These guys aren't _too_ hard to take down..."

_That's just what worries me..._ Neji thought. _According to Kakashi-_san_, these men are all the elite of this clan, so in theory, they _should_ be stronger and harder to deal with. But even _rookies_ - thought talented ones - are able to defeat them in a matter of seconds. What's going on?_

* * *

"Hinata, look out!"

"What - Kyaaaaaaah!" Hinata let out a scream upon seeing the rather large ninja almost bearing down on her, a sword clutched in his fist. The man was too close for her to properly execute her favored technique, and a tree was blocking her path, so she couldnt' move backwards. She shut her eyes tight. And then, a strange pressure along her left side and she fell, unsure of what had happened for there had been no sharp pain indicative of injury. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and then gasped.

"Na...Naruto-_kun_..."

Standing where she had been moments ago was Naruto, a _kunai _held in each hand, blocking the sword's deadly downward path. The ninja looked none too happy at being interfered with, and he raised the lethal blade for a second try, with a different target. Now it was Naruto's turn to be caught off-guard.

Suddenly, the sword droppped, tumbling through the air to land, point-first, in the soft earth. The man who'd been wielding it clutched at his side as blood and viscera began to ooze out of the deep, yet almost invisible cut. Stunned, Naruto walked over to the girl beside him.

"H-Hinata..._arigatou_..."

"_N-nan demo na,_ Naruto-_kun_..." she replied.

Behind them, the man finally keeled over, having breathed his last, gurgling breath.

* * *

"Hey, watch it!" Takao exclaimed, the blade of Hiromi's halberd missing him by mere inches as he jumped to avoid it.

"You're the one who has to watch where you're going; you keep getting in the way!" Hiromi yelled as she swung the spear over her head, effectively keeping the enemies at bay. No one wanted their head impaled on a whirling blade. "Now, Takao, while they can't get close!"

"Right!" The stormy-eyed teen produced several _shuriken_, and then flicked them at the surrounding ninja, using the wind to propel the weapons farther and faster than normal, as Asuma had taught him to. There were more than a few sickening squelches as the flying blades found their marks, tearing through flesh and bone and into organs and blood vessels.

"I'm not picking those up anymore..." Takao mumbled, eyeing the bloodied mess. Beside him, Hiromi had dropped the halberd and began using a discarded sword she'd found.

Suddenly...

"Everyone, get away!"

"Huh?" Takao and Hiromi turned around in unison to see Kai, his palm flat on the ground. "What in-"

"Duck and cover!" Sasuke yelled, reading what Kai was about to do as a bulging trail formed along the forest floor. It extended from where the slate-haired teen had placed his hand and ended in a steadily-growing mound where most of what was left of the Shikino rear guard had convened. The earth had also started rumbling slightly.

Neji, Max, Rei, and Sakura quickly ducked behind tree trunks, Naruto and Hinata crouched behind bushes, and Takao and Hiromi leapt up onto the highest tree branches. The mound was already half as tall as a man of average height.

"_Katon: Bakuretsu Kazan no Jutsu_!" Kai yelled.

In a flash, the mound exploded violently, sending flames and fiery chunks of earth rocketing upwards. These then rained down swiftly on the Shikino ninja who hadn't managed to get away in time. It was like a scene out of hell, only much closer and definitely more real.

"Remind me never to get on Kai's bad side," Takao whispered to Hiromi as he watched the dark ninjas practically roast to death.

Kai stood up, and Sasuke joined him. "So _that's_ the other variation you were talking about before..." he said. Kai nodded. Suddenly, Sasuke leapt to side, flinging three large _shuriken_. Using the wire he had attached to them, the Uchiha guided the deadly windmills towards one particular tree.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" Naruto yelled from across the clearing. "Sakura's behind that tree!" There was no need to be quiet now; the other hundred and fifty ninja had been alerted by the screams of their fellows. Hopefully, Kakashi and Yuriko would take care of some of these external units before they decided to go after the targets.

"I know that, _dobe_!" Sasuke replied. "Sakura, duck!"

There was a small "Eep!" as the jade-eyed girl complied, launching herself into the dense bushes nearby for good measure. She didn't want to think about how close she'd come to decapitation.

Then there was a squelch, followed by three _thnks!_, one after the other, as the _shuriken_ buried themselves into the wood.

"That takes care of one..." Sasuke muttered as quickly performed the seals for his next technique. "_Katon:_ _Ryuka no Jutsu_!" He expelled the fire from his mouth, watching dully as the flames hungrily ate their way across the wire. Then, two screams, sounding as one, pierced the relative silence as the fire found its target. Three of the Shikino ninja had been about to ambush Sakura, and this was the result.

A quick pull, and the giant _shuriken_ cut through the wood and came flying back. With a creak, the huge tree fell over, its branches catching two more Shikino ninja in their wake and crushing them.

"Yikes..." Rei commented as he stepped out from his hiding place, eyeing the mangled bodies of Sasuke's latest victims. "Don't you feel any hesitation before killing?" he asked, out of curiosity. Before now, he'd never seen anyone bring death to a fellow human being with as little or no remorse as the crimson-eyed Uchiha had.

"Sometimes, yes," Sasuke replied, unsheathing the sword he had worn strapped to his back. "But in this case, its literally 'kill or be killed', so if I want to live, then I've no choice on the matter, have I?"

_Ksh-kshkssssh----_

_"How is everyone holding up?" _

"All teams intact, Kakashi-_san_," Neji replied, tapping the radio button again. He was seemingly oblivious to his cousin knocking down three men who were sneaking up on him. "What about you and Yuriko-_san_? What's your status?"

_"Forty-five external units down, now approaching target,"_ the silver-haired Jounin replied. _"And what was that explosion back there? Sounded like a mini-volcano..."_

"That was me, Kakashi-_san_," Kai answered this time. "Needed an excuse to try out my other technique..."

_"Effectiveness?"_

"Around twenty-five out of thirty units exterminated."

_"Good. The last one hundred are headed your way, if Yuriko doesn't decide to take care of a few more. You guys still up to the challenge? Especially since Kai and Sasuke are expected to follow us in after a few minutes..."_

"Hell yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "We're ready, all right!"

A chuckle, sounding out of place in such a situation. _"Well, then, good luck, all of you."_

"_Hai_." Neji finished, then glanced over his shoulder at Hinata. "Hinata-_sama_, you knocked down those three, didn't you?" he asked, noting the three ninja on the ground.

Hinata blushed, smiling. So he'd noticed, after all! And though it may not have sounded like much, that was _his _way, she guessed, of complimenting her.

"All right everyone, you heard Kakashi," Sakura said abruptly. "We're dealing with twice the number of ninja we went up against earlier. We can't afford to slip up, now that we're so close to completing this mission."

There were smiles all around when they realized it was true; Mission: Take Down was nearly at an end. Whatever doubt there had been at the start now dwidled away to nothingness, leaving only confidence in its wake.

"_Yoshi_!_ Ikuzo, minna_!"

* * *

"It's a little dark for a house, don't you think?" Kakashi noted as he and Yuriko crept through the halls. The 'tent' their targets had erected could hardly be called as such; apparently, someone among the four knew how to combine earth-style and water-style chakra to produce wood, and had used that knowledge to 'build' a small cabin without disturbing the trees nearby.

"I know, Kakashi-_san_," Yuriko replied as she peered around a corner. "Either they're all asleep - which I hope is the case - or they've set a trap-"

"That they're hoping we'll blunder into."

"Um-hmm..." Yuriko nodded. She pointed down one hallway. "There, Kakashi-_san_. That's the only room so far with its lights turned on."

"I hope we don't find ourselves in a washroom," Kakashi half-joked. The amethyst-eyed teen rolled her eyes good-naturedly. All the while, she and her mentor made their way towards the illuminated room. Suddenly, their headsets crackled to life, and Kai's voice came over the line.

_"Yuriko, have you located the targets?"_

"Not quite," the auburn-haired teen whispered into her set. "We've found an open and lit room, but no ID confirmation. Why'd you ask."

_"It's going to take a while before Sasuke and I can get away to back you up," _the slate-haired teen replied. _"These men are...considerably harder to do away with..."_

"Take your time. Targets are most likely cutting Z's, which will make it safer, and definitely easier. Just radio again when you and Sasuke are about to join us, give Kakashi and me some sort of warning that you're going in, so I don't cut your head off by accident."

_"Copy that. Out."_ With that, the radios fell silent once more, and a heavy stillness hung in the air, somehow adding to the dark atmosphere.

"All right, Yuriko," the silver-haired man whispered when he and his companion reached the open doorway. "Here we go..."

Yuriko crouched, ready to launch herself into the room and at any of the four men whose deaths they had been tasked with. But, quick as a flash, Kakashi's gloved hand gripped her shoulder, and she stopped.

"Kakashi-_san_...?"

"Not all of them are asleep..." the elite nin said quietly. Yuriko peered around the doorway, gave a small, inaudible gasp, and then ducked back into the hallway.

"Looks like they were expecting the surprise after all..." she said through gritted teeth. Shinichi and Shinji were asleep, on seperate beds at opposite sides of the small room. Eiji and Keitaro apparently had first watch. The former faced the single window in the room, and the former faced the only entrance.

"Well, this makes it a bit more difficult, not at all what we expected..." Yuriko commented, hand gripping the hilt of her small sword.

"Let's wait for Kai and Sasuke to get in here. Either pair will serve as the distraction, while the other two handle the sleeping brothers, and then we'll all take care of Eiji and Keitaro," Kakashi instructed. Yuriko nodded, knowing there was no better way to do the job at the same time ensuring no one was gravely injured in the process.

Once more, the tiny radios crackled with static. Yuriko pressed her earpiece a bit further into her ear in anticipation.

_"We know you're in there, Yuriko..."_

Yuriko gasped, purple orbs widening considerably. Sweat broke out at her hairline, trickling slowly down her face and dropping, silently, onto the wooden floor. She knew that voice!

"Oh, no..." Kakashi whispered, dumbstruck.

_"Won't you come join your friends here, outside?" _

Yuriko grit her teeth, bounded into the room where she and Kakashi'd seen the targets. She aimed a _kunai _at the first figure, Keitaro. As it connected, it made a wooden sound.

"Stand-alone puppets..." Kakashi murmured when he heard and saw. "Darn it!"

Yuriko walked over to the window and peered outside. Sure enough, the four targets stood outside. All her teammates had been subdued - well, some were struggling, without much luck. She released an angry sigh, and then reached up to push the button that would enable her to converse with the person on the other end.

"Let them go, Keitaro!"

_"There's really no need to get all flustered, Yuriko..." _Keitaro replied. Through the rather misty glass, Yuriko could make out the dark ninja's face, leering at her from the gloom. Suddenly, a sharp, biting pain shot through her lower abdominal cavity, and she glanced down. Around three inches of shining steel winked up at her, a few parts obscured by a dark crimson liquid.

_"After all, you're the only one we want..."_

_Crap! _Yuriko thought. _Another deception! There were only _three_ dummies in this room; the Eiji in here is the _real _one..._ Then she gasped and clutched her side as the sword was pulled out. Quick footsteps coming towards her, and Yuriko whirled around just in time to see Kakashi hurled right back out of the room, slamming against the wall.

"Ka...Kakashi-_san_!" The amethyst-eyed teen made to rush over to the masked ninja, but Eiji blocked her way. He tried to land a sword strike to Yuriko's solar plexus, but she twisted away and ran out of the room. Pausing only to haul a semi-conscious Kakashi to his feet, she bounded down the hallway and out of the small cabin.

Outside was no better. The second she stepped out the house, two men she'd never seen before greeted her. Shinichi and Shinji. If not for the face that one was several centimeters shorter than the other, they could have passed for twins.

"Don't you think you ought to rest, Yuriko?" the taller one - probably Shinichi - said, smirking. "You're injured, after all..." Then he and his brother reached for her, but she dodged once more and ran over to her friends.

"Not a chance, Ugly!" she called over her shoulder. Dropping Kakashi gently on the ground, she slid to a half crouch and swept Keitaro off his feet, flinging him back towards where the brothers were standing. She was about to pick the half-conscious Jounin up again, but Neji beat her to it.

A few feet away, Sasuke spun in a half circle, the blade of his sword slicing deep into three ninja who, unfortunately, had stood too close for their own good. Rei was a stark green blur, performing his Explosive Tiger Fang on two Shikino clansmen, while around five lay on the ground, gasping - poisoned, apparently, thanks to Max. Takao was busy beating down two men using his _bokken_, and Hiromi stood a few feet away from him, flinging her chained scythe to keep attackers at bay. Hinata was fending off four ninja, who couldn't get close enough due to her _Shugohakke Rokujuyon Shou_, while Naruto was rushing two men, one bright blue whirling sphere in each hand. Thanks to Sakura, there was a new crack in the earth, and a few hands - and the occasional foot - peeked out from under the rubble. While the Shikino ninja were a sorry sight indeed, the ones from the Leaf weren't that much better; all had sustained varying degrees of injury.

_But where's Kai?_ Yuriko thought, casting frantic glances left and right. The slate-haired teen wasn't anywhere in sight.

"You're looking for _this _one, aren't you?" Eiji remarked. He'd just emerged from the small house, it seemed, and he was dragging something along...

"No..." Yuriko's eyes were wide upon seeing the limp figure in the dark ninja's arms. Disheveled slate-gray hair hung in front of listless crimson eyes, mouth half-open as Kai took in slow, painful gasps of air. He was clutching his side, the ribs there apparently broken, and half of one arm had practically been sheared off, a bloody stump where the powerful forearm had been.

"This young man put up quite a fight..." Eiji continued. "Come to think of it, wasn't he one of the first who leapt to your aid when we first encountered you in Tokyo? The day you decided to return to Konohagakure?"

"Kai...!" Her voice louder now, the auburn-haired teen, forgetting her own injury, leapt up and ran towards the four men who held her dear friend captive. Never mind that doing so was the most idiotic thing to do and put her at risk. She was determined to free Kai and get him into medical care as quickly as possible. Sakura was already taking care of the others, and, despite her prowess as a medic nin, Yuriko doubted she could fix injuries as grave as these. Also, there was the matter of reciprocating what Eiji had done to the boy.

There was a dull thump as Eiji dropped Kai unceremoniously onto the ground. A low groan escaped the slate-haired teen's lips, and hearing this fueled Yuriko's rage. A battle cry beginning to build in her chest, one hand whipped to the sword at her hip. Then, all at once, Yuriko let out a great shout that made everyone stop in their tracks; so chilling was its sound. At the same time, she grasped the tooled handle and drew the blade from its sheath, swinging it out and away from her in a shining silver arc. Red liquid spattered onto the canvas of the night, staining the ground a dull scarlet where it fell in strange, grotesque puddles.

"Yuriko..." Hiromi whispered, ruby eyes wide. Her companions stood, mute, horrified at what had happened. There, mere inches from Yuriko's black-clad feet, lay the slate-haired head, mouth agape, staring up at the moonlit sky through sightless eyes.

Yuriko sank to her knees, dumbstruck at what she'd done in her recklessness, her desire for retribution. The _wazikashi _fell silently, and her hands flew to her mouth, trying to hold in the cries of anguish fighting to escape. "N-no..." she whispered, auburn hair flying back and forth as she shook her head, trying to clear her vision of the horrific sight, trying to convince herself it was a dream...a mere illusion, not stark reality.

But reality won.

"No...K-Kai...I'm...I'm so s-sorry...I-I didn't think...I d-didn't mean to..." Yuriko struggled to apologize, yet failing horribly.

Hiromi made to approach, to tell her it was all right, that it was an accident and that accidents happen, but couldn't, stumbling over her own feet and falling to the ground in the process. Dark gray circles suddenly appeared on her kimono top's sleeves, standing out against the lighter gray of the cloth, and a great sob escaped her throat. Takao walked over to her, placing a comforting arm around the distraught girl's shoulders, and Hiromi collapsed against his chest. The stormy-eyed teen remained mute. No one else spoke; no one else moved.

Suddenly, a blur of movement and, seconds later, Yuriko slumped into Keitaro's arms.

"H-hey!" Rei cried, the shock of seeing an unconscious Yuriko enough to snap him out of the _other_ shock. "Let her go!" He drew a _kunai_ from his weapons pouch and made to leap at the opposing ninja, when a sizzle of dark energy stopped him in his tracks.

"I'd think twice before attacking a comrade's captor, if I were you," said Keitaro, holding up Yuriko's short sword to her neck, the sharpened edge sharpened even further because of the dark chakra that enveloped it. "Wouldn't want a repeat performance of what happened to your friend there..." With a booted foot, he gestured towards the dismembered body.

"But you can't attack two people at once if you're preoccupied with a hostage, can you?"

"Time to go..." Shinji said suddenly. He and his companions, Yuriko in tow, quickly formed a small, rough circle, and in a flash of black light, they'd disappeared. A split-second later, there was a thump as something landed heavily on the forest floor.

"Darn it! I _hate_ it when they teleport..."

Hiromi sat up abruptly, eyes brightening. She broke away from a very shocked Takao and ran over to the person who had just spoken.

"Kai!" she exclaimed as she flung herself at him, enfolding him in a hug. Kai's left eye twitched at the close contact, but chose not to react. Instead, he gently disentangled himself from Hiromi's arms.

"B-but..._how_?!" Max finally found his voice.

"W-we saw...Yuriko's sword...and then your head..." Naruto stuttered. It was no secret that the blonde jinchuuriki was freaked out at what he and his companions had seen and were seeing.

"That's _not_ me," Kai said, his voice hard. "I'd jumped into the house through the window earlier, when Eiji first attacked Yuriko. I thought I'd take care of him then, since he was chasing her, but he had other ideas. He knocked me off my feet and then tied me up, saying something about me being the perfect bait for their 'prize'. He then left me in there, but I managed to free myself. Took me a while, though, and I made it out just in time to see Yuriko get knocked out. I tried to jump them a second time, but..." he shrugged, angry that the targets had slipped through his fingers.

"Anyway," he went on, fists clenched. "We have to find them! _Now_! Yuriko's with them, and-"

"No."

"Huh?" Takao glanced over his shoulder at Neji; it had been the first time during that mission Neji had _not_ spoken quietly.

"Whether you like it or not, Kai-_san_, we can't go look for Yuriko-_san_ now. First, we've no way of knowing where they went. Second, just the fact that they have her gives them the advantage, because they know we won't attack for fear of hurting her. Third, we've been awake almost the entire night, combat has used up most of our energy, and Kakashi needs medical attention that, unfortunately, Sakura cannot administer. If we hope to rescue Yuriko, then we must rest, even for just a few hours. We'll return to Konoha, even if it means reporting failure. Once we have a clear idea on how to locate and retrieve Yuriko, we can set out again, if you wish."

"Look, we have to-"

"Neji's right, Kai," Rei broke in, a calming hand on his former captain's shoulder. "We all know how powerful these guys must be for the Hokage to order their assassination. We're all tired, and we wouldn't stand a chance if we face them in this condition. We have to recuperate."

"Yuriko-"

"-will be fine." The neko-jin gave a tired but encouraging smile. "I doubt they'll want to kill her at once, because they could have done it easily while Eiji had her in his grip. Now, come on. We have to return to the village now...

"There's nothing more we can do..."

* * *

A/N: Oh, the drama... XP Typed this up late at night, so wasn't really sure if I got everything in...any violent reactions? XD Anywho, please feel free to tell me if there's anything you didn't understand in this chapter. I'll try to squeeze in an explanation in the next chapter, or send you a PM with the desired information. Oh, and this chapter's title is 'Nothing More Can Be Done' in Nihongo, in case anyone is wondering...

For some strange reason, my fics have been getting more and more violent (I think)...wonder what that implies?

Peace out and God bless!


	16. Chapter 15: Unexpected Events

A/N: Konnichiwa, minna! Long time, no update, ne? Once more, a very heartfelt 'thank you!' to all my loyal readers! You should know full well who you are by now... XD

Just like what happened during my semestral break, over the holiday break, I did everything but work on my fics; family time, y' know? And then, for the week since I went back to school, I couldn't think of _anything_!

Well, here's Chapter 15, folks! ...uh, Chapter 16 if you count the prologue as the first chapter...

Disclaimer:...right...

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* * *

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**Chapter 15: Unexpected Events **

"...So that's why they retreated so suddenly."

Neji glanced up, confused. "Pardon?"

Tsunade stood facing the window, her hands on her hips; she was obviously disturbed but trying not to show it. Neji had elected to tell the Hokage of their mission failure upon returning to the Leaf village; Kakashi had lapsed into unconsciousness a few minutes after they started out, and had yet to wake up- a cause for concern for Team Seven, who had never seen their former mentor knocked out after just one hit. Those who were injured - and whom Sakura had been unable to heal as they journeyed home - had been attended to immediately after they passed through the gates; they were probably resting now.

The blonde woman gave a small sigh. "Around half an hour before you and your companions returned, reports came in from the east, west, and north defense lines; all three said the same thing: that the enemy had ceased their attacks, even though they clearly outnumbered our forces. Now I know why..."

"Gomen..."

"There's nothing to apologize for, Neji; you and your teammates did the best you could.

Neji remained silent. He knew, just by reading her body language, that Tsunade blamed herself for not seeing past the facade and spotting the trap underneath. After a few minutes, the raven-haired ANBU member stood up. "I trust there are no further instructions, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade nodded; she still hadn't turned to face him. "Thank you for being prompt in your report, Neji..."

Neji bowed slightly, and then made his way out into the hallway.

When she heard the click, Tsunade shifted her weight from one foot to the other and sighed again. Even though her head was just fine, she massaged her temples with the first two fingers of each hand, as if doing so would prevent a headache from occuring.

_So they have Yuriko, and she's still alive..._

_But...what could they be planning now?_

* * *

"Something doesn't fit..."

"Did you say something, Sasuke-san?" Rei glanced at the dark-haired young man, who sat less than a foot away from him, to his left. Kai, who sat towards Rei's right, didn't react.

The three were in the hospital, waiting for news on Kakashi's condition. Naruto had grown impatient several minutes earlier and had left to 'grab a bite', as the blonde had said; Takao had elected to leave with him, while Hiromi had offered to accompany Hinata to the Hyuuga compound (perhaps to talk about homemaking skills). Max had not been seen since their arrival, and it was anyone's guess where he was at the moment.

"Haven't you noticed anything?" the Uchiha returned the raven-haired teen's gaze. "According to what we've been told, the Shikino's goal was to eliminate Yuriko's entire clan. That means they plan to kill her."

Rei nodded slowly. He knew that Kai felt responsible, in a way, for Yuriko's kidnapping. That was probably the reason why the Hiwatari heir had been unusually quiet since they arrived in the Leaf. "Go on..."

"If that were the case, then that Eiji character - or any of those other three guys - could have done the job then and there..." Sasuke left the sentence unfinished, allowing the two to come to their own conclusions.

Rei sat up straighter a few seconds later, eyes slightly wider. "But they didn't...which means..."

"They're planning something else now." Sasuke finished, looking grim.

"Kai, did you get that?" Rei asked, turning to glance at his captain "There's still a-" he stopped short and blinked. "Hey, where'd he go?"

Sasuke leaned forward to get a better look, and then, muttering something under his breath, got up quickly.

"S-Sasuke-san?" Rei got up, albeit a little hesitant. "What's wrong?"

The Uchiha didn't reply, motioning instead for the Chinese to sit back down, before taking off down the corridor in what he hoped was the right direction.

_That idiot!_ Sasuke thought as he emerged from the building. A quick glance towards either side affirmed that Kai was no longer in the vicinity. The obsidian-eyed teen sped off once more. _He's probably thinking of rescuing Yuriko on his own! But..._ he added as an afterthought, a tiny smirk crossing his lips. _He may have a chance, given how stealthily and quickly he left the hospital just moments ago..._

* * *

_Dammit!_ Kai cursed silently as he rolled into the bushes, avoiding yet another explosion caused by fuda - pieces of paper on which commands were written, in this case, detonation. _Stupid explosions! They're going to give me away at some point..._ He stood up, brushing the leaves out of his hair and the dust off his clothes. _At least I know I'm going in the right direction..._ Since he'd come across quite a few exploding tags, he knew that the Shikino had probably been here, and didn't want anyone following them.

His fists clenched tight, he breathed in deeply in an attempt to calm himself. The Shikino are planning something else now - at least that's what Sasuke thinks. We could still save Yuriko, and, at the same time, find out what it is they're planning...

"Did you really think you could do this on your own, rookie?"

Kai whirled around, shoulders tense, right hand reaching to his weapons pouch, ready to fling a kunai or two at his opponent. The next second, he relaxed.

"I hate it when that happens," he said, a small smile crossing his face upon seeing that it was Sasuke who had spoken. "Sneaking up on others is usually my specialty..."

The Uchiha arched an eyebrow, slightly amused. "Yet you fail to pick up on others when they sneak up on you? Your training's incomplete, if that's the case; it should be a two-way 'radar', you know."

"I can usually tell if others try to sneak up on me, but this time, I..." the slate-haired teen trailed off, eyes closed, wondering why he hadn't sensed Sasuke's approach. Then he shook his head, as though doing so would clear the self-doubt from his mind. A few seconds later, the firey orbs blinked open, their light dulled but determined. "What are you doing here, Sasuke?" Kai asked, his voice an emotionless monotone.

"You can't take on a reconnaisance by yourself, Kai; by all rights, you're still a genin - a rookie ninja." Sasuke took a step forward, coming out of the bushes he had concealed himself in earlier. "You could get horribly injured, or worse, killed."

Though he hated to admit it, the raven-haired teen had been overjoyed to learn that, despite what he thought, he still had some semblance of a family, and he hated to see his one other relative snatched away so callously. Now, he had to convince Kai to return to Konohagakure and wait - something he, Sasuke, had had to learn, too - or, failing that, accompany him on this rescue and make sure they all got out alive. Being of relatively senior rank, it was his responsibility.

"I've faced death before, Sasuke," Kai said quietly, turning away. "Back in my blading days, I'd refused to acknowledge a friend of mine as worthy competition. He sought power in order to catch my attention, and died because he failed to control it." A deep, shaky breath. "And then, around a year later, I came out of a Beyblade match so badly injured that I spent nearly two months in the hospital; according to my teammates, the surgeons lost me twice on the operating table while trying to repair the internal damage. Despite that, I..." he shrugged.

"That doesn't mean you're going to get lucky this time," Sasuke struggled to keep his voice down.

"But it doesn't mean that I'm going to die, either," Kai returned. "I'm sick of acting only after something horrible befalls those who know me. I avenged my friend's death only after I recieved the news that he had died soon after being admitted to the hospital. I'd left the BBA, only to rejoin it soon after I learned that my prospective team was responsible for another friend's month-long hospitalization."

Suddenly, the tree branch Kai had been holding on to - perhaps to help propel him upwards into the trees - sparked and flamed momentarily, before letting out a groan and crashing to the ground. "This time, I'm going to get Yuriko back before those Shikino rats do anything to her, and before they attack Konoha again."

For a few seconds, Sasuke looked shocked, and then he smiled. "So...you're serious about going after them, after all..."

Kai nodded. "And I'm going whether you like it or not."

"Well, then, go. But..."

Slate brows furrowed slightly. "'But' what?"

Black locked onto red, and Sasuke smirked. "But you're not going alone. Who do you think will serve as a distraction while you grab the girl? You don't even know how to create a clone of yourself!"

Kai smirked back. "Point taken."

* * *

"So how is he?" Naruto asked as he and Takao approached Rei. The neko-jin glanced up, a small smile lighting up his features.

"The medic nin said that Kakashi will be fine; he's resting now."

"Thank _kami_," the blonde ninja heaved a sigh. "I was so worried! I'd never seen Kakashi that badly injured before, so my heart was a set of bongo drums the whole time!"

"'A set of bongo drums'?" Takao looked amused. Naruto shot him a look.

"Well, what else would you call a constant thumping in your chest?"

"Nervousness, of course," the dragon wielder grinned cheekily. Before Naruto could retort, a loud bang echoed through the hall, and then the hurried pit-pat of feet reached their ears.

"Guuuuuuuuuuuys!" Kyouju scampered past the threshold, running pell-mell to where the three were gathered. Rei got up, ready to brace himself for the impact, but the bespectacled teen stopped himself - with more than a little difficulty - just in time. He stood there, panting, one hand braced against his bent knees, the other clutching a sheet of now-crumpled paper.

"What's up, Chief?" Takao asked, sensing the panic in the diminutive teen's voice.

"The Tactics division...sent me to talk to the Hokage...and I just...came from there..." Kyouju gasped. "I thought...you guys had to...know, too..." He took a deep breath, straightening up slowly, then took his glasses off, cleaned them, and put them back on. "A group of hostile forces is headed for Konoha. Scouts had been sent out earlier after the sudden retreat, and they spotted around forty Shikino ninja heading this way."

"Is that such a thing to panic about?" Naruto looked unpurturbed. "The scouts can take care of them, can't they?" Truth to tell, the blonde jinchuuriki found this member of Takao's group to be entertaining, what with his susceptibility to panic.

"There were only three scouts that were sent out to that particular sector, Naruto-san. Three against forty is not an easy fight, and those three will most likely be gravely injured, if not killed..." the Beyblade researcher-turned-budding tactician glanced at the paper he held. "That's not all. Almost all the advance guard are out with injuries, and we can't seem to contact the reserve squads.

"Around twenty-five of the thirty ANBU involved with the earlier fight are still being treated; like the reserve squads, we can't contact the remaining five, and the ANBU who were away on missions and instructed to return are still en route to the village."

The tension of shock hung in the air. "Woah..." Takao half-whispered. Kyouju paid no attention - now that he'd settled into a semblance of calm and professionalism, he didn't want to stop to think about the odds that were against them. He cleared his throat and went on.

"The scouts also spotted Kai and Sasuke; those two are on a collision course, so to speak, with the enemy and they don't know it!"

Rei frowned. "Didn't the scouts tell them what was happening?"

Kyouju shook his head. "Apparently, telling them was too risky; any of the three scouts could have been spotted or sensed using their chakra signatures, thus alerting the Shikino to the presence of enemy ninja. Not only would the scout group be at risk, but so would Kai and Sasuke."

"Well, someone _has_ to tell them," Rei reasoned. "Otherwise, they're still almost good as dead!"

"I'll try to see who I can find," the bespectacled teen said. "The three of you have just returned from a mission, and it's mandatory that you get adequate rest," he continued, accurately reading his friends' intentions.

Rei flopped back down on the bench, blowing a few stray strands out of his amber eyes. "Well...just hurry. We can't afford to lose even two ninja now, what with the majority either killed, injured, or mysteriously vanished..."

Kyouju nodded, pressing the 'talk' button on his headset radio. "Tactics?" he spoke quietly into the small microphone. "Kyouju here. As regards the recent sighting..."

* * *

"Hang on." Sasuke reached out swiftly, grabbing Kai by the shoulder. Kai turned, glancing at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye, tuning in to the caution in his companion's voice. He allowed himself to be dragged gently backwards for around half a meter before the Uchiha pulled him down into a crouch behind a very large, leafy bush.

"What is it?" he asked after a few moments, keeping his voice barely above a whisper.

The Sharingan had been activated, the blood-red contrasting with the stark black of Sasuke's hair and the paleness of his skin. "Ninja. Hostile ones. You were about to step right into the range of fire, Kai."

The slate-haired teen kept silent, thankful for agreeing to Sasuke's accompanying him, at the same time miffed that he had failed once more to sense a presence, especially since this was the enemy they were dealing with this time and not childish pranksters sneaking up on their victims. Next to Sasuke, he was an amateur, and he did not like admitting that, even if it was only to himself.

"How many are there?" he asked a few moments later. In the silence, he had struggled with the tendrils of jealousy and had finally managed to beat them down, shutting them away where they couldn't interfere with any improvement he might make soon.

"Around forty," Sasuke replied, frowning. "I also sensed three allied units to Konoha, but they left fairly quickly."

Kai gave a small smile; now these he had been able to sense, but had spared no thought to them. "Probably to make a quick report; apparently, these Shikino are headed towards the village."

"You got that right..." Sasuke muttered, using the Sharingan to track the enemy's movements. "We have around thirty minutes before they reach the city wall. If we hurry, we can either get back to Konoha and confirm the sighting so proper action can be made..."

"Or take as many of them out as quickly as we can," the crimson-eyed teen finished, reading his cousin's eyes.

"I always liked a good challenge," Sasuke smirked, reaching up to tighten his forehead protector. Kai did likewise - he wore his around his forehead, too, but it was obscured by his slate-gray bangs - and then adjusted his gloves. The Uchiha noticed this.

"You seem to favor gloves," he commented. "Those are the same pair you were wearing when we first fought, back when we didn't know each other."

Kai nodded, reaching into his pouch to see how many weapons he had on hand. "They grew on me after I started using them around three years ago." He fished out his wallet, removed a few wallet-size photographs. These he handed to Sasuke. "The first photo was from four years ago, when my teammates and I first became a team. The second one is from a year later, and the last is from the most recent tournament we came out of. Of course it's been three years, so I can't exactly call it 'recent'..."

"You have a penchant for the...eclectic," Sasuke noted, glancing up briefly from the first photo, where Kai was still wearing his red armguards. "It suits you, though, and I can see what you mean. You ditched the armbands for gloves, which you still wear. But the armbands looked more intimidating."

"It became too obvious after a while," Kai said, preparing to step out of the bush and move closer to the Shikino. "The red armbands were something of a self-handicap..."

"That part I know of," the Uchiha replied, returning the photos so Kai could replace his wallet in his trouser pocket. "I saw how Yuriko had difficulty in lifting your scarf from the ground while you did it with only one hand. You always give yourself a handicap in battles?"

"It hides my true strength until it's too late..." Kai said quietly, moving over to a tree. "I believe I'll create a barrier for our guests, just to see if they can be shaken up a little..."

"Isn't a fireball a bit-" Sasuke began, but quickly trailed off when Kai punched the trunk of the giant pine.

A small, cracking sound was heard, along with a bit of a groan as the wood on the other side gave way to the sudden weight. Slowly, the pine tree toppled, felling another tree on its way down. A few moments later, loud whinnies - some of the Shikino ninja were riding horses - and baffled shouts reached their ears. The two gigantic trees had blocked the narrow path, and with the size of the troop, the dark ninja would have a hell of a time getting around the roadblock.

Sasuke glanced at his companion, an eyebrow arched questioningly. Kai shrugged.

"I guess I've gotten stronger."

"That's always an advantage, as long as it doesn't hamper your agility," Sasuke agreed, hiding his surprise. He hopped up onto a nearby tree branch. "Ready?"

Kai nodded, crouching behind another bush, this one nearer to their target. "Hopefully they have Yuriko with them so we kill two birds with one stone; otherwise, we beat the information out of them."

A second later, Sasuke leapt off the branch, propelling himself through the air to land on another branch on the other side of the Shikino group.

_A ground offense, and an aerial offense..._ Kai noted. And from opposite sides, too... He trained his gaze on where he saw Sasuke land, hoping that his diluted Sharingan ability would be able to spot a signal from this distance.

A flash of steel, and then a strangled cry from one of the Shikino. From the slight gurgle in the sound, Kai guessed the carotid artery or the trachea had been hit. He took this as a sign to launch his offensive, too. Carefully, he slid out several _shuriken_ in one hand, three _kunai_ in the other, and took careful aim.

_Thk, thk, thk!_ went the shuriken as they embedded themselves in three different locations on one man. Down he went, rashly tearing out the weapon that had buried itself deep in his throat. A fatal mistake. Frantic gurgling as the enemy nin gasped for air, and when it did not come, he coughed, effectively wrenching in half his severed windpipe. He was gone in mere seconds.

Kai spotted the movement in the trees, and knew instinctively that Sasuke had changed moved downwards and a few feet to the left; the slate-haired teen, deducing what he must do, moved up into the trees and a few feet to his left. Changing their positions, he recalled, would confuse the enemy, if only for a few minutes. They would in the spot where the projectiles had come from, but by that time, at least two more would have been struck down.

He and Sasuke repeated the movements - striking down an opponent each, and then alternating their positions - three more times. Only thirty-two ninja left to deal with, Kai thought, a smirk curving his mouth, and it's only been two minutes... He moved to change his position once more, as he saw movement in the trees indicating that Sasuke was doing the same.

And then, the blinding flash of flame, a great fireball, scorching the trees where the Uchiha had been hiding.

_Did they- _Kai thought, frantic for a moment. And then, he relaxed when he realized that the fireball had come from Sasuke and not towards him. The slate-haired teen decided to help out a bit by launching an elemental attack from his end as well.

Suddenly...

"_Suiton_!" A voice suddenly sliced through the chill night air, stopping Kai in the midst of his chakra molding as though he had had been doused with an entire gallon of ice-cold water. "_Baku Suiryuu Ha no Jutsu_!"

Crimson orbs widened when he heard and saw the attack. A great wave of water, glistening pale blue in the moonlight, bursting from what looked like a small wooden room on a raised platform. The liquid seemed almost unreal, shining gently even as it followed an invisible, lethal path. _A water-user!_ the slate-haired teen thought. _But..._ he reflected, frowning thoughtfully. _Only Max knows that attack, Bursting Water Dragon Wave...That is, only Max and..._

His thoughts cut short as realization struck.

_No..._

Forgetting all caution and abandoning the need to stay hidden, giving in instead to the urge to disprove the conclusion he'd come to and dispel the doubts beginning to gather in his mind, he rushed forward. Sparing no thought to the Shikino ninja that blocked his path, he slashed mindlessly, felling them.

_There!_ he thought, spotting the carriage from which he knew the water attack had emanated. He was only vaguely aware of Sasuke shouting at him - there was no need to keep quiet now - as he stared, openmouthed, at the opening that had been carved out of the darkened, water-stained wood.

"No..."

* * *

"Looks like we didn't get our 'mandatory rest' after all..." Takao remarked, swatting a small, leafy branch out of his way as he leapt from one giant branch to another.

"Well, there was no one else available, apparently," Rei returned. "And we were the only ones close enough to the projected point of entry, so what else could they do?" He stumbled momentarily on a rather thick vine that had entwined itself so completely on the branch that it was almost one with it, but because of his almost feline heritage, the neko-jin caught himself quickly and had jumped onto a new, relatively smooth branch within seconds.

"It's just a shame that we had to leave so quickly," Max said. "Just when I'd gotten the movements required for a higher-level _Hakkeshou Kaiten_..."

"You mean you were at the Hyuuga compound the whole time?"

Max nodded. "I met up with Neji soon after he left the Hokage's tower and asked him if he wasn't too tired to help me with my defense. Well, he said he wasn't, so..."

"You must have missed that, huh, Max?" Rei asked, giving the blonde a small smile. "Playing defense while we took care of offense."

Another nod. "A good offense is often a good defense."

"But at least you know you can pull off offense, too..." Takao commented, referring to the ninjutsu techniques his friend had learned in the short time they had been in Konoha.

"Yup! Now I guess I'm not so one-sided..."

"Heads up, guys," Naruto interrupted. "We're nearing the point where the Shikino were last sighted; we have to slow down and keep sound to a minimum."

"Roger that,"

All of a sudden...

"_Suiton: Baku Suiryuu Ha no Jutsu_!" And then a burst of pale blue light from ten meters off.

"Max, isn't that one of your techniques?" Naruto turned quickly to the other blonde, who looked just as shocked as he probably did. Max nodded slowly.

"Yeah, but I'm the only one of two people who know that technique."

"Who's the other one?"

"The one who helped us work out a 'human' version of our bit beast's attacks," Takao replied for the blue-eyed teen. "It's Yu-"

The three members of Team BBA stopped short, glancing at one another, afraid to hope, yet hoping that they'd found their friends.

"Do you think-?" Takao began, the hint of a smile showing on his pleasantly rounded face.

"It's gotta be!" Max said, grinning widely for what seemed the first time in a two weeks; he'd been so focused on training, so paranoid of the impending attack, he barely found the time to smile. Now, there was a sign, a chance that everything was not going against him and his friends.

"But if she's fired it off, then..." Rei interrupted, looking thoughtful.

The same thought struck all four, and, without another word, they all sped off into the trees once more, running full tilt towards the arew where the light had been seen.

_Three against forty is not an easy fight, and those three will most likely be gravely injured, if not killed..._ Kyouju's words ran through Rei's mind. One glance told the neko-jin that Takao was thinking the same thing. The amber-eyed teen grit his teeth, fearing for his three friends.

The forest, like its name, remained still as death for what seemed a long time after the sudden interruption to the silence, adding all the more to the urgency the four teens felt as they hurtled onwards. Towards what, they couldn't be sure, but they kept up the pace, picking up speed as they rushed through the looming, greenish darkness of the trees.

* * *

A/N: Such a sucky ending! And I'm waaaaaay to obvious...I'm so dumb like that...

One reader pointed out that most of my chapters end with a line spoken or thought by a random character (Rei, Kai, Yuriko, Kakashi, etc). So, I thought I'd end the chapter differently for a change...but it's still sooooo sucky...

And I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but I edited the part towards the end, where Takao and Company rush off to help Kai and Sasuke. I made a small error... oops!

Anyway, please let me know what you think! I'll work really hard this week in order to try and update this fic next week as scheduled.

Dewa mata! Peace out and God bless!


	17. Chapter 16: The Threatening Darkness

A/N: Yes! I updated on time! XD I have to thank one of my friends for introducing me to My Chemical Romance back in our senior year in high school; otherwise, I wouldn't have bought their newest album (The Black Parade) and wouldn't have had the background music that enabled me to finish this chapter...

Fans of Naruto and Sasuke (not as a couple! O.o), I urge you to click the 'back' button now. Otherwise...be prepared. That sounded so ominous...

Disclaimer: I don't own either series or set of characters. Bakuten Shoot Beyblade belongs to Aoki Takao; Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. But Takenoichi Yuriko belongs to me!

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**Chapter 16: The Threatening Darkness**

"No..." Kai half-whispered. His feet felt like lead weights and would not move, no matter how much he willed them to. Even his arms were suddenly rendered useless; it seemed as though his wrists had been bound with adamantium and the end of whatever chain held the unseen shackles buried deep in the ground.

On the return trip to Konoha, Sasuke had, gently and quietly, berated Kai for his desire to go after the Shikino the moment Yuriko fell into their dark clutches. That desire, the young Uchiha had said, had been born from irrational thought, driven by emotion instead of logic, an act largely uncharacteristic for the Hiwatari heir.

Yet, here before them - Kai knew Sasuke could see it, too - was the very thing that had driven the slate-haired teen to such hasty thoughts of rescue.

On the cushioned seat of the carriage lay Yuriko. She remained motionless, bound at the wrists and ankles. A strip of cloth was fastened securely about her jaw, impeding speech. There was really no need for such measures, Kai noted dully; though her amethyst orbs were open, there was no life-spark in them, and the poor girl seemed not to have the energy to call out. There was, however, a low moan that issued forth from her gagged lips every few minutes, but the sound was so soft that one had to strain to catch it.

There were two more people in the carriage, seated opposite to where Yuriko lay trussed up on the cushion. One of them was standing, and it had been he, apparently, that had performed the technique earlier, the one that lured Kai out into the open.

Shaking himself mentally, the crimson-eyed teen snapped out of his daze, slowly reaching into his weapons pouch for a number of _shuriken_. As he did so, he studied the man who gazed down at him. He had pale skin, dark hair, and even darker, deep-set eyes. His entire body, save the feet, hid behind a curtain of thick, dark cloth; this man - he was either Shinichi or Shinji, for Kai already knew who Eiji and Keitaro were - had the overall appearance of some macabre death spectre

Kai shivered. He wasn't scared, really; just disturbed. He expected the man to be smirking, at least - surely he was more than a match for the rookie Kai. But no. There was not even the littlest trace of emotion on the dark ninja's face, as if he saw nothing but the forest that stretched out behind the slate-haired teen. Then, Kai shook his head slightly and grit his teeth, ready to move. But he'd barely begun to perform the needed seals when he felt something bite deep into the rear left side of his trunk, just below the twelfth rib, close to where the kidneys were located. He whipped around, biting back the groan that threatened to escape...

...And came face-to-face with Eiji.

"You..." he hissed, slate-gray brows meeting in an angry 'V'. He jumped back, reading, with his diluted Sharingan, that the dark-brown haired man was about to slash at him again.

"_Katon_:_ Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" Kai yelled as he landed, breathing out a large ball of flames. The fiery sphere blazed bright, shooting off towards Kai's intended target, the heated yellow-and-orange tongues leaping high into the air and burning the tips of tree branches as it passed.

Eiji smirked, dodging to the side while five of his fellow Shikino ninja paid the price. Short, piercing screams sliced through the still air, cut off short as the hungry flames rapidly consumed their meal. The horses that had been pulling the carriage whinnied as the fire came dangerously close to them, but the heat only burned their restraints, leaving the frightened animals unscathed. They were still very much afraid, able to scent the hate and bloodlust in the air, and with one last heave, the two thoroughbreds pulled free of the reins tying them to the carriage. They bolted, neighing with relief, and clip-clopped swiftly into the forest, not caring where their hooves took them.

Eiji had been forced to leap into the trees when the horses galloped towards him, and now that they had passed, he jumped down towards Kai, readying his blade for another attack.

_Thk!_

The ninja staggered as he landed, gray eyes wide. His left hand groped frantically for the _kunai_ he knew was there, its slender, bandage-wrapped handle peeking out from between folds of black cloth. The right hand loosed its grip, and the sword clattered to the ground.

It was Kai's turn to smirk. "Did you think I'd be _that_ stupid, to come at you with a direct, long-range attack you could dodge easily?" With what seemed like a casual flick of his wrist, another knife whistled towards Eiji. There was a metallic clashing sound as the blade of the airborne weapon hit the handle of the other, dislodging it completely. "Fat chance."

The cloth around the wound turned darker in a quickly-expanding circle as liquid spurted from the deep puncture. The dark ninja, rendered speechless, dropped to his knees, and then slumped, face-down, as though wanting, even in death, to hide his shame at being beaten by a Genin.

The crimson-eyed teen glanced down quickly at his own injury. True to form, the wound was healing up now, and the pain had disappeared. Kai was grateful for this unexpected ability, and he wondered whether he could use it to help others when the time came. Clearing his head of the thought, he walked over to where Eiji had fallen and calmly retrieved his weapons, preparing himself to face the brothers behind Yuriko's capture. Then he remembered that there were a little over twenty ninja to deal with, aside from Shinji and Shinichi, but he shrugged it off; now was _not _the time to be hesitant. But, as he glanced around, he noticed that, aside from those that were dying and the already dead, the other enemy ninja had disappeared.

"Kai!"

The slate-haired teen glanced up, then frowned slightly in confusion. _How did they-_

Max landed in front of him, a small smile on his face. "Looks like you and Sasuke found them before we could warn you," the blonde said, his relief hidden by the cheerful tone in his voice. "Any casualties?"

"Just the Shikino," Kai replied curtly.

"You mean they're all dead?"

Kai shook his head. "They've disappeared, but I don't know where to. Anyway, listen. Yuriko's in the wooden carriage over there. Now-"

"What's she doing in there?" Takao asked, glancing at the now-horseless carriage, which had tipped slightly forwards, the thick rods that held the horses' restraints acting as the vehicle's support.

"Wasn't she fighting with you?"

"She's still a captive, and I intend to free her. Watch my back."

All three BBA members nodded, but Naruto looked slightly worried. "Where's Sasuke?"

Kai jerked a thumb over his shoulder towards the part of the forest where he'd last seen his cousin. "He's in there, somewhere. He'll be fine, though, so don't worry."

* * *

"You really don't intend to give in, do you?" Sasuke ground out slowly, tightening his already strong grip on the hilt of his sword, the Kusanagi. "You're fighting a losing battle, Keitaro; a group from Konoha is already on its way here-" of course, the dark-haired teen had no idea that what he'd stated was actually true - "...And, as you've no doubt heard from a few minutes earlier, several more of your clansmen were burned to death by my companion..."

"I doubt it, _bozu_," Keitaro smirked, bearing down harder on _his_ sword. "Skilled as you and your companion are, we are more experienced, and certainly have the advantage of being able to control darkness. I'm sure you know that nothing can stand against such power."

Suddenly, Sasuke gave a short chuckle and stepped back. The dark ninja, taken by surprise, stumbled, his momentum propelling him forward. In a desperate gamble, he swung out with his blade, hoping to connect. The Uchiha smirked, crimson orbs shining with a dangerous light, as the enemy's weapon met futilely with his own, a strong current of electricity engulfing the blade; Keitaro's sword literally slid off. Allowing his instincts to orchestrate the movements of his muscles, Sasuke flowed gracefully into the front agression stance, driving the Kusanagi forward with little exertion. The Uchiha watched with fascination as it pierced through cloth and flesh, earning another shocked look and a short cry from his adversary.

Suddenly, he sensed movement from behind him. Quickly, the raven-haired teen drew his sword out from Keitaro's upper chest and whirled around to face the would-be attacker. Eyes wide, he took a half-step back, bringing the sword blade upward in a slash from the horizontal. This was not for offense, though, but defense; _another_ Keitaro had appeared from behind him and had slashed downwards, his sword held vertically. Sasuke then knew that he had faced not a clone, but another Shikino ninja disguised as Keitaro.

"Well done, Uchiha..." Keitaro whispered, menace dripping from every word. "You've beaten a protege of Shinji-_sama_, which is no easy feat." He allowed Sasuke to throw him off, flipping backwards gracefully and landing five feet away, his sword back in the sheath hidden at his side. "But Ryuushi was young, not quite experienced in the ways of an all-out battle. I can assure you, you have chosen death in intercepting our journey..."

"If there's anyone who's chosen death," Sasuke shot back, returning his own weapon to its sheath, "it is you and your clansmen. The Leaf ninja are not so easily defeated and, though they don't make a show of it, are highly skilled, probably more so than you could imagine..."

A short bark of laughter, so sudden it seemed as though a bomb had detonated at close proximity. "The child speaks like a parent, yet remains that child..." Keitaro said, smirking as he lowered his stance. "You spout off foolishness, boy! To come at me with a squad of Jounin would have been the better choice; instead, Konoha comes at me with a mere Chuunin! To sing praises of your home and its ninja is insulting, but to mock me by standing against me is the ultimate insult! You _deserve_ to have your head rolling in the dust!"

Quick as a breath on the wind, Keitaro shot forward, the deadly silver of the _ninjato_ - similar to the _wazikashi _but straighter than the traditional_ katana_ - swinging out towards Sasuke. Much to the dark ninja's surprise, however, the crimson-eyed teen stepped _into_ the arc of the attack rather than away from it. To that effect, Keitaro overswung his target, and paid for it. An eye-blink later, the man found his left arm completely severed from him, the shoulder hacked clean off. Biting back the sudden wash of pain that engulfed him, he channeled his chakra into his blade, preparing for another strike. He never had the chance.

Another explosion of pain, this time radiating up from a different area on his body. Stupefied, he glanced down, a mixture of a gasp and a moan escaped his lips when he saw a hand in his upper left chest, buried in the flesh up to the wrist. There was a crackling in the air as the _Chidori_ burned with the blue-white light of electricity.

Sasuke wrenched his arm out of the cavity he'd created, watching with curiosity as the dark ninja collapsed, blood spurting out from his back and his chest as the lightning chakra faded from the Uchiha's palm.

_That takes care of one of them..._ Sasuke thought, sheathing his sword; he was sure he wouldn't need it for a while. Keeping as silent as possible, he crept back the way he and Ryuushi - disguised as Keitaro - had come, coming back out onto the path the Shikino had taken through the forest.

He glanced left and right for any sign of his companion, noting that the person he'd seen standing in the carriage was now gone, leaving only Yuriko and the other man inside. His pulse quickened, already sounding like a trip-hammer in his head; he couldn't spot the slate-haired teen, and the immediate vicinity seemed awash with the dark-clad enemy ninja.

"_Raitte_!" a cry far to his left, and Sasuke whirled out of the way, closer to the carriage as the unfortunate victim hurtled into the tree under which the crimson-eyed teen had been standing. To his surprise, Rei, Takao, Max, and Naruto were there, fending off twenty-something ninja.

Sasuke leapt up over the wooden vehicle, landing on the other side, and instantly spotted Kai doing battle with the man from the carriage. This was undoubtedly Shinji, second-in-command after his brother. It was also not difficult to see that Kai was having a hard time matching the dark ninja blow for blow, so Sasuke rushed forward.

"Kai! Get out of the way!" he called, stopping at a spot five feet away from where Shinji stood. The slate-haired teen glanced at his cousin, bewildered. Sasuke was obviously not going to use any projectile attacks, so Kai was in no danger of being hit erroneously. Why did he have to move?

Suddenly, a blur shot down towards Kai, pausing only momentarily to pick him up, before bounding up into the trees. Bouncing off a particularly thick branch, the blur with Kai in tow landed just beside Sasuke. The Uchiha took this as the signal, concentrating, pushing his psyche outward to envelop the opposing ninja. Kai, of course, could see none of this happening.

"Sasuke, what are you doing just _standing_ there?" he hissed, about to charge forth once more and attack. Suddenly, a sharp intake of air as he saw what looked like a dark pinpoint of light form on Shinji's chest.

"What the hell-" Shinji muttered as he tried to take a step forward but found he couldn't. The next second, he fairly screamed as what felt like a million swords knife into his chest, and then quickly spread; his whole body was on fire with the pain. And then, a strange, though still painful sensation of being pulled towards a small, concentrated area...that dark pinpoint on his chest.

Kai's eyes widened as Shinji's form appeared smaller and smaller, the mouth opened wide in a contorted scream as he drawn in an agonizing spiral towards the black hole. He shuddered inwardly. No wonder Sasuke had shouted at him to get away; had he stayed close to the Shikino, he, too, would have been drawn into that tiny, foreboding hole of nothingness. Soon, there was no trace of the dark ninja save a few gray wisps of smoke from the small implosion.

Sasuke half-turned to look at the blur that had pulled Kai out of harm's way. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be resting in the hospital?"

Kakashi smiled beneath the mask. "So you decided to use _it_, eh?" he asked, completely avoiding the question.

_Use what?_ Kai looked bewildered.

"Well, I needed to test if your method of training worked, Kakashi," Sasuke replied. "Now would you answer the question?"

"Couldn't let you guys have all the fun," the silver-haired Jounin said, shoving a hand in his trouser pocket. "Anyway, I-" suddenly, he cut himself off, turning around to parry the slashing sword of an enemy.

Sasuke blinked. Suddenly, the twenty Shikino nin looked like two hundred. _How-?_ he asked silently, glancing around. He spotted several creeping from the forest, heading straight for Naruto, who was still unaware of the approaching danger. Snarling, he bent down into a running crouch, drawing his sword while he did so.

"_Oi_! _Dobe_!" he called when he was less than three feet away, his sword arm stretched out obliquely from his body.

Naruto turned, cerulean eyes widening when he saw his best friend rushing at him, sword drawn and what looked like murderous intent in his eyes. "_Teme_?!" Thinking that Sasuke intended to slash him, the blonde jumped aside, which was just what Sasuke wanted. Coming to a momentary stop between the blue-eyed _jinchuuriki_ and the Shikino, he turned to face the oncoming attackers. A sudden chirping and crackling as electricity emanated from every pore of his body, rendering two of the nearest ninja immobile. The pair fell, writhing from the pain of being struck with the equivalent of a lightning bolt.

Quickly channeling the electricity into the ground beneath his feet, Sasuke used the sudden jolt to propel him forward. Then, whirling around in a blur, he slashed downwards each time he sensed he was near enough to take an enemy ninja down.

As he landed, amidst the seven he'd taken life from, Naruto ran over to him. "What's the big idea, _Teme_?" he fairly shouted. "I thought for sure you were going to kill me-"

"But you already know what it was I was doing." Sasuke answered quietly, smirking.

"Yeah, but that doesn't justify the fact that you scared me near out of my trousers!"

Suddenly, the ground beneath them cracked apart, and both boys jumped away. One glance told them that it was Tsunade's doing; if it were Sakura, the ground would have exploded immediately.

"Tsunade-_sama_!" Sasuke heard Kai exclaim from not far off. Apparently, that sudden crack in the ground had disrupted his fight with two other Shikino clansmen.

There was a slight _thump_ as the Hokage landed beside Sasuke. "Kakashi was kind enough to tell me that the enemy's numbers had grown suddenly, so I came as quickly as I could, with some back-up." As emphasis, a large rock landed on an approaching ninja with a sickening _crunch_. Sasuke had no doubt who was the cause of that, and he glanced back up at the blonde woman, waiting for the instructions he knew were coming. "Now, take Kai and get Yuriko back to the village! That's your mission for now, Sasuke."

"_Hai_." With a curt nod, the raven-haired teen dashed off. He knew that Kai had understood, for he joined him as they neared the broken carriage.

Then, they screeched to a sudden halt as a shadow blocked their path. He looked like Shinji - the same pale skin, dark eyes and hair, and choice of clothing - but was considerably taller, older, and for all they knew, more skilled.

Shinichi.

"Kai, I'll take care of this one. You go around and get Yuriko out as quickly as you can," Sasuke whispered to the slate-haired teen. Kai nodded once, and then took off. The Uchiha gripped the handle of his sword tightly, getting ready to launch himself at Shinichi.

"Foolish boy..." A whisper on the wind. And then, like smoke only more corporeal, a three-dimensional shadow seemed to creep towards him. Once it wrapped its cold, wispy tendrils around his ankles, the colors seemed to disappear in front of Sasuke's eyes until all he saw was in varying shades of gray to black.

_Black…a deep blackness…surrounding everything_...

All around him, he could hear screams as weapons and technique projectiles found their marks. Sasuke hoped those being slain were the Shikino and not the Konoha nin.

_Screams_..._cries_..._yells_..._sounding from all sides_...

Now, Shinichi seemed to be getting ready to fire a projectile of his own. Dark energy sizzled in the empty space around them - was it another dimension? Or an illusion? Sasuke couldn't tell; the blackness was so deep that it confounded even his Sharingan. He stared at Shinichi, focusing on his actions instead for these would dictate how the Uchiha would react. And, in each palm, Sasuke saw dark flames gather, swirling into a small sphere, a bastardized Rasengan it seemed.

..._a fire so black it made the darkness seem white_...  
Sasuke grit his teeth, slid his sword back into its sheath, and gathered his chakra into his hand. The _Chidori Nageshi_ was quite different from the _Chidori_, but in nature remained the same. Sasuke wondered faintly if using the technique for what was essentially the fourth time wouldn't activate the Cursed Seal of Heaven at his apex of his neck and left shoulder, but decided to throw caution to the wind; now was not the time for self-doubt and hesitation.

"_Suiton: Mizuken Ha_!"

"_Fuuton: Dai Ryuu Senpuu no Jutsu_!"

Max and Takao apparently had released another version of their combination technique.

"_Katon: Bakuretsu Kazan!_"

Kai, probably fighting off more ninja than he could handle, had reverted to using the Exploding Volcano technique to slow down their advances and hopefully take more than a few of them out.

"_Baku Tora no Kiba_!" A blur of green chakra knocked down three or four enemy nin. Wait...how could it be that he was seeing in color now when a moment ago, everything ranged from black to light gray and nothing more?

Then he realized that the dark dome surrounding him was fading now, and Sasuke could see Shinichi's form more clearly. In that instant, the dark ninja leapt forwards, energy humming in the palms of his hands. Behind what he guessed was the carriage, Sasuke noted vaguely that blasts of color, no doubt coming from Kai and his companions - had they joined forces to get to Yuriko while he had been trapped in that wierd dome? - were shooting off towards the enemy ninja.

_Green, purple, blue, red_..._flashing_..._exploding outwards_...

_This is exactly like that dream - or premonition - I had!_ Sasuke realized as he readied himself to meet Shinichi head-on. To his surprise, Shinichi leapt past him, heading instead to an area somewhere to Sasuke's left. And for a moment, he was dumbfounded.

A scream tore him from his confused half-stupor. Crimson liquid dotted the ground at his feet.

_A blur to his right_..._another to his left, pink this time_...

_Pink...? _Sasuke's eyes widened, and then narrowed dangerously as he uttered a curse under his breath. He turned to see whether what he had assumed was true, and if it was, he swore he would tear Shinichi limb from limb and leave the carcass to rot in the deepest valley he could find.

A sigh of relief was about to escape him; Sakura was safe. But then, the crimson-eyed teen noticed that the young medic nin was staring in horror at something, and he followed her gaze. Another muttered curse was flung into the air.

Naruto stood there, blue eyes wide and unseeing, his black-and-orange jacket stained with the same liquid that seeped into the ground. Shinichi's right hand was buried up to the elbow just under the blonde ninja's sternum. The man himself was chuckling, as though enjoying having drawn blood.

Sasuke charged, ready to draw his sword and sever the man's head clean from his body, as he had done with Keitaro's shoulder. The electricity faded, absorbed back into his body, and he channeled it once more into his sword for a quick strike.

A soft squelch as the tip, followed by the blade itself, pierced through fabric, and then skin, muscle, body tissue, and exploded through the other side, winking faintly in the moonlight. A small smile crept onto Sasuke's lips when he noted his aim had been true. He then yanked it out of Shinichi's lower belly, certain that enough electricity had surged through the weapon and into the enemy to ensure a momentary paralysis. He turned to Sakura, about to tell her to take Naruto to a sheltered spot and work on him, but the pink-haired teen had already gathered their teammate, bounding into the bushes.

Suddenly, movement to his right, and he turned back just in time to feel what seemed like a hundred _shuriken_ pierce his lower right torso. He tasted blood in his mouth and felt it trickle in a thin line down towards his chin. He brought his right arm up to strike, and then realized that his sword had been knocked from his grasp. And then he gasped as Shinichi's hand pulled free, and he stumbled back, scrabbling blindly for his sword.

_Damn it!_

As he touched the end of the tooled hilt, he heard it: the stealthy whisper of steel on rayskin.

..._the unmistakable silvery gleam, glinting faintly in the half-light_...

A whisper in his ear - "_Look out!_", the breeze seemed to say - as Shinichi ran towards him, sword at the ready.

_Do they _all_ carry swords?_ Sasuke thought, forcing himself to his feet. He had a feeling about this battle, but if his instinct were right, then he would die fighting, not succumbing to the pain of a dozen injuries.

Suddenly, Shinichi disappeared from his view, but Sasuke was ready. The dark ninja would approach from above, he knew; his Sharingan told him everything he need to know about his adversary's movements.

And then, a sharp, sudden pain, and Sasuke glanced down to see the tip of a sword winking up at him. The four or five inches of bloodied steel protruded from, he guessed, between the fifth and sixth ribs. He slumped, trying to catch his breath, though he knew intuitively that it was useless; a lung had been punctured, making breathing difficult.

_A sword. In his side._

A deep-throated chuckle, like the one he'd heard in his premonition-dream. _But...how...?_ Sasuke thought dimly as the sword was wrenched painfully out of him. He was only vaguely aware he had toppled forward and was lying on his belly on the ground. _He was supposed to...attack from above...I couldn't have misread his movements...unless..._

With some difficulty, he turned over to get a better look at his attacker.

_Unless...he was only the distraction and...I got so focused on him I forgot to...keep an eye out...for others..._

His eyes widened, the crimson leaking out of them as Sasuke's strength left him. He tried to speak, but his jaw wouldn't work, and he couldn't get enough air into his lungs.

_No...way..._ he thought, fighting to keep awake, to keep the engulfing darkness at bay. He focused on his attacker, failing to assure himself that it was an illusion. But no. He knew, then and there, what the strange black dome had been for; it wasn't for distraction but as a screen, to keep from his eyes the crucial scenes he needed to complete the scenario and warn his companions.

_I...have to tell...the others...now that I know..._ Sasuke thought even as he succumbed to the deep sleep brought on by unconsciousness.

The height, the build, the battle-ready stance, the features...

It was all the same, no question about it.

Takenoichi Yuriko.

* * *

A/N: ...The term _bozu_ is similar to 'squirt' or 'kid'...seemed just right for the occasion...And why the heck is my cursor moving when I'm not moving my mouse?! Weird...

I'm not sure, but my chapters seem shorter...or maybe it's just because there are more fight scenes so its moving faster, hence, it seems shorter...I'm not really sure... XD

Peace out and God bless!


	18. Chapter 17: Yo Ga Akeru Mae Ni

A/N: I got some pretty good reviews for the previous chapter; one, especially, hinted at the reader's confusion, which is just what I wanted to happen! I'm so mean! XD Right now, my left ring finger hurts because I accidentally smushed it between the movable seat and the chair stand holding up that seat. Ouch... (Okay, useless info...)

Disclaimer: I own neither Bakuten Shoot Beyblade nor Naruto. The former belongs to Aoki Takao_-sensei;_ the latter belongs to Kishimoto Masashi-_sensei_. I _do_ own Takenoichi Yuriko and her grandmother (like I'd want to own the old lady... XP)

**

* * *

Chapter 17: Yo Ga Akeru Mae Ni... **

Pale eyelids fluttered closed as Uchiha Sasuke, mumbling uninteligibly, drifted off into unconsciousness.

A sly grin replaced the grimace of pain on Shikino Shinichi's face. "It's just as well I listened to Eiji on this one..." he said, placing a hand on Takenoichi Yuriko's shoulder. "You make a fine ally, Yuriko..."

"That...that can't be..."

Yuriko turned to face the source of the voice, her once-shining purple orbs now robbed of all light.

Rei stood there, mouth agape, staring at Yuriko, then Sasuke's prone body, and then back. "Yuriko...why did you..."

Shinichi smirked. "Why don't you take care of this nuisance, Yuriko? I need to take care of...other matters..."

The auburn-haired girl nodded, falling into the ready stance and gripping her sword tightly. Rei looked on horror and bewilderment, aware that it was _he _who was the target, yet doing nothing to prepare himself. The shock of what he'd seen had rendered him stiff, like a puppet without its master to pull the strings.

"Wait...Yuriko...don't do this! I'm a friend, remember?" The neko-jin stammered, finally finding the strength in his muscles to move backward, put a little more distance between him and his friend-turned-foe. "A-and Sasuke's a friend of yours, too! Why did you - Ack!" he was cut off as a flaming _shuriken_ headed his way, and he was forced to duck, taking his eyes off Yuriko for just a second.

When he glanced up, he saw what a fatal mistake it had been to break eye contact with the amethyst-eyed girl. Yuriko had launched herself at him in that split-second after she let fly the fiery weapon and was now just a foot away, the sword gleaming with an otherworldy half-light.

_Dammit!_ Rei thought as he scrambled through his thoughts, trying to find a way out of this fix that would leave both him and Yuriko relatively unharmed. At the same time, he quickly pulled a _kunai_ out of his pouch, holding it out in front of his body to block the coming strike.

At the last second, the sword changed its trajectory; instead of coming down vertically, it slashed almost horizontally across Rei's abdomen. The Chinese boy grit his teeth, glancing down only momentarily to assess the damage. To his relief, it was only a shallow cut, but it was still bleeding profusely. And he knew that a cut in the abdominal cavity was one of the most fatal injuries one could get; if the stomach wall had been cut or punctured, gastric juices would soon leak out, filling the cavity and eventually poisoning the victim.

He leapt back, ignoring the searing pain the movement caused him, then quickly turned and began running.

"Running away? Such cowardice."

Rei shivered. This girl looked like her and fought like her, but her voice was so different, so much more malicious than Yuriko's that he wondered if she'd been possessed. There was a bestial quality to it, a sort of low growl that came from the back of the throat. And those eyes... the neko-jin shivered again. Those eyes were inhuman. They had been blank, devoid of emotion when she turned to him, but as soon as Shinichi had issued the command, an eerie dark light had begun to shine behind those amethyst pupils, and it frightened him, much as he hated to admit.

_I have to lead her over to the others...maybe they'll know what to do..._ he thought as he bounded over the carriage, landing in the middle of the small circle formed by Kai, Max, and Takao. Around them, around fifteen ninja lay, injured and moaning in pain.

"Rei!" Takao exclaimed, not turning his gaze away from two of their foes and piercing them through with wind chakra-enhanced _kunai_; they stopped in their tracks and literally collapsed. "I thought you were going to go help Sasuke with the Shinichi guy."

"Well, I was, but..." Rei hesitated. How was he going to phrase this?

"Have you seen Yuriko?" Kai asked suddenly, causing his teammate to jump slightly.

"Huh?"

"She isn't in the carriage anymore, and her bonds are lying strewn about the floor." Kai explained, raising his arm to block an overhead strike. With his other hand, he grasped his opponent's wrist and, painfully twisting his torso obliquely downward, used one foot to sweep the dark ninja off his feet and threw him to the ground. There was a muffled crack as the ninja's head hit the ground first at an impossible angle, and then he lay still. Kai turned his attention back to Rei. "That means she must have escaped. Did you see her anywhere nearby?"

The amber-eyed teen nodded slowly. "But..." he paused. How could he tell them what he had just witnessed, that their friend had somehow been turned against them?

"_Katon: Rasen Hidama_!"

"What the-?!" Kai turned around just in time to see Yuriko bearing down on him, a dangerous flaming sphere in her right palm. Crimson eyes widened when he saw the fury and the bloodlust in the girl's face, and he jumped away, throwing a _kunai_ at her as he did so. She raised a hand and caught the handle between two fingers. In the same, fluid motion, she flung the weapon back at the slate-haired teen, who had to duck to avoid having his neck skewered on the blade.

"Yuriko!" Max and Takao exclaimed in tandem, the surprise showing on their faces.

"Why'd you attack Kai?" Max went on, moving quickly into a defensive stance in case the auburn-haired teen decided to attack him, too.

"I know why you're after me..." Yuriko replied, her voice low and feral.

"Eh?" Takao looked confused. "'After you'...?"

"You intend to _use_ me," Yuriko continued, the fury in her voice rising. "That's why there are so many of you; you wish to overpower me and take me back to your village, and then force me to bend to your will, to do your bidding!"

Amber eyes widened. Was this deception part of the hypnotic spell he guessed Shinichi or Shinji had used on her? Had she been told terrible lies just to get her to turn on her allies and her village?

"No...Yuriko, we'd never do that..." Kai, who seemed to have calmed down somewhat, took a step forward, looking not sad, but slightly angry.

"You lie!" A bright blue ball began to form, the chirping emanating from it growing louder and louder as it expanded. And then, all at once, Yuriko rushed at him, the dark light in her eyes flashing dangerously.

"_Raikiri_!"

A great explosion, kicking up huge clouds of dust and smoke. Max, Takao, and Rei were literally blown away, landing in the bushes nearby, while Kai had to swing himself up onto a branch in order to _not_ crash into a particulary large tree trunk.

"It's Kakashi!" Kai called down to his teammates.

"How'd you know?" Takao asked, skeptical. "The smoke hasn't cleared enough to see yet!"

"It's the diluted Sharingan, _baka_!" the slate-haired teen returned, mentally slapping his forehead at Takao's ignorance.

Then, a gust of wind, and the dust and smoke blew away. There, indeed, stood Kakashi, right hand still crackling with the electric blue light of his attack. A few feet away from the masked ninja stood Yuriko, panting slightly with the exertion.

"Kakashi-_jisan_!" Rei called, struggling up from his slightly thorny landing pad. "Be careful! Yuriko -"

"I know." Kakashi interrupted quietly. "Tsunade-_sama_ and I saw what happened between her and Sasuke. But don't worry; the Hokage is working on him now.

_'Working on him'...? The Hokage? _Kai frowned, concerned for Sasuke, who had bravely said to leave him to take care of Shinichi. The crimson-eyed teen knew that the Hokage was a highly-skilled medic nin, so if she was working on Sasuke...

"But that Shinichi fellow-" Rei was saying.

"-Is unconscious. For now."

Kai leapt down from his perch, landing closer to Yuriko than he should have, but he didn't care. Behind him, Max and Takao were having a bit of difficulty srambling out of the bushes; the thorns caught at their clothes, and they were trying not to get _too_ scratched up.

"Yuriko, listen to me," Kai began, his voice stern as he approached. "I don't know what Shinji or Shinichi did to you, but you were right about one thing: you _are_ being used, but not by us; it's the Shikino."

"I _am_ Shikino." Yuriko replied curtly, turning towards him with her frost-hard gaze.

Suddenly, Takao let out a cry as another Shikino ninja slashed at him. Luckily, the dragon wielder had managed to dodge a bit, and so ended up with a cut on his arm instead of on his neck.

Kai, noticed the design on the hilt - the enemy ninja was close enough for him to see some detail - and started; he recognized that weapon! He then turned back to the auburn-haired teen in front of him, getting ready to launch his offensive. "You're _not_ Yuriko..." the crimson-eyed teen said loudly, leaping forwards abruptly. A sudden smoke cloud obscured his vision for a moment, but he pressed on. When it cleared, he smirked inwardly; he was right.

Where the amethyst-eyed teen had been standing a few seconds ago, there, instead, was Shinichi, holding up his own _ninjato_ in a defensive strike.

"Very good, boy..." Shinichi commented, smirking as he knocked Kai's _kunai_ away and, in the same movement, swung his blade outwards in a killing blow.

A split-second before the sword was supposed to connect, Kai jumped up and, using the flat of the blade as a springboard, performed a backflip that took him out of harm's way. Once he landed, he reached for the immobile Shikino ninja who had attacked Takao, while Kakashi rushed forwards to try to subdue Shinichi.

Kai motioned for Rei to grab the ninja's right arm even as he grasped the left, and then, as though reading his captain's mind, Max stepped forward and reached up to pull off the mask.

Once the mask was removed, Rei gasped, Max's cerulean eyes widened considerably, and Takao gaped.

Yuriko struggled against the hands that restrained her, but Rei and Kai held fast.

"Yuriko, stop struggling!" Rei beseeched her, gripping the girl's wrist harder than he meant to, but he knew it was necessary. It was obvious that, though it had been Shinichi who had attacked them earlier, the real one was still under whatever hypnosis had been used on her; she _would_ attack were she given the opportunity. "We're your _friends_! We're here to help!"

"Let...go!" The auburn-haired teen ground out savagely, wrenching her right hand free and elbowing Rei in the solar plexus. Mouth open, the neko-jin staggered backwards, arms folded over his middle in a pained protective gesture. Takao, half-panicked, hurried over and caught him before he fell, while Max quickly took Rei's place and held on.

Suddenly, Kakashi went flying backwards, landing hard on the packed earth.

"Kakashi-_sensei_!" Takao called out even as he clung onto Rei, who was still having trouble getting air into his lungs.

Then Max let out a cry as jet-black ball of energy barrelled into his side. The young blonde fell down, clutching his side, and let go of Yuriko's hand.

Taking this as her cue, the amethyst-eyed teen swung her sword out of its sheath and in a glittering arc towards Kai. The slate-haired boy ducked, at the same time using a leg to sweep Yuriko to the ground. As she fell, Kai grabbed the sword out of her hand, and then, in an unprecedented move, held the point to her chest, preventing any further movement on Yuriko's part. Seeing she was trapped, she grit her teeth angrily, her fists clenched tight.

"I hate doing this..." Kai muttered to himself, "threatening an ally at sword-point..." He then lowered his sword arm until it dangled by his side, the weapon aimed harmlessly at the ground at his feet. In a louder voice, he said, "Yuriko, you _have_ to listen to me." He gestured in turn towards Kakashi, who was struggling to his feet, then to Rei, who was taking deep breaths now, and then towards Max, who was wincing as he sat up. Kai secretly hoped it wasn't a broken rib or two. "Look, those guys are your friends. I'm a friend, too. Those Shikino freaks did something to you to turn you against us, but you have to fight! Don't you see? They're going to kill you after you carry out their dirty work! That was their goal all along, remember? To kill your entire family, including _you_!"

"...'family'...?" Yuriko's fists relaxed, the taut muscles loosening. The look on her face was undecipherable, a queer cross between confusion and fury. A small smile crept onto Kai's lips, but he kept himself in check and erased it; after all, he still had a reputation to live up to.

"Yeah. It was the Shikino who killed your parents, and then killed your adoptive parents when they wouldn't say where you were, when you were only five." Yuriko remained silent, as if she had heard this piece of information for the first time.

"Do you see now?" Kai asked after he went on to tell her briefly how she'd met him and the rest of Team BBA, and why they were currently engaged in battle. "We're not your enemies, _they_ are."

The amethyst orbs remained dull, and Takao glanced up at his captain, his expression questioning. _Is this method working?_ Kai shrugged,"Yuriko," he began quietly, in an attempt that he really meant her no harm. "Can you hear me?"

"...yes." Yuriko replied, blinking as she locked gazes with him.

Takao grinned broadly. _Yes!_ he thought excitedly to himself. _Looks like it's working after all...she's coming back!_

Kai seemed to be thinking along the same lines, because he bent slightly to help Yuriko up, barely aware of Kakashi shouting.

And then, in a blinding flash of sudden, biting pain, he became all too aware of what the silver-haired Jounin had been trying to tell him. Forming a deadly, slender barrier between him and Yuriko, a silvery blade, surrounded by a menacing black aura, had torn through his back, emerging at a point around two centimeters below his sternum.

Rei, recovered now, froze in the process of sitting up, and Takao just sat there, mouth agape for what seemed the umpteenth time.

Then, the dark smile of the blade disappeared, wrenched cruelly out of its victim's back, and Kai slumped to his knees, a hand to his chest as he coughed painfully, gobs of crimson spattering onto his shirt. Above him stood Shinichi, smiling triumphantly and sadistically as he gazed upon the fallen.

"At last, that little annoyance is out of the way..." he commented, his grin growing wider. Then he turned his attention to Yuriko and held a large, powerful hand out to Yuriko. "Come along now..."

Yuriko had sat up a moment ago, and now her eyes were wide with horror as she watched Kai collapse, the wound in his back glowing faintly with the deadly black aura. "No..." she whispered, her breathing ragged.

"Aren't you glad he's done away with, Yuriko?" Shinichi knelt down, forcing her to look at him. "He's your enemy, remember?"

Suddenly, a blur shot towards him and he gave a cry as he went down. Kakashi had launched himself at the dark ninja and, after withdrawing the _kunai_ he'd used to stab Shinichi in the stomach, held it to his neck. He turned back to Rei, Max, and Takao. "Get him to Tsunade," he called, forgetting the all-important honorific. "And do it quick!"

Takao nodded wordlessly and crept towards his captain, who was breathing hard. Apparently, if chakra were a factor in the injury, he was incapable of healing it; a frightening amount of blood was already on the slate-haired teen's shirt, and the wound was _still_ bleeding.

Rei took his red headband with the yin-yang symbol and, after folding it several times, pressed it to the dreadful wound, using moderate pressure so as not to cause any more damage. He cast a quick sideways glance at Yuriko, and blinked in surprise.

The girl's eyes were wide and still had that blank look, but her cheeks were shining faintly with the light of the moon reflecting off the small drops of salty liquid trickling slowly down her face.

_Tears...?_

Apparently, Max noticed too, because he had just reached out a hand to touch Yuriko's shoulder. But he stopped abruptly when a soft whisper grabbed his attention.

"I'm sorry..." The voice was cracked, thick with emotion and regret, and so faint that Rei and Takao had to strain to catch it. Shinichi stopped struggling, bewildered, to glance at what he thought had become his weapon against Konoha, and Kakashi let up a bit on the pressure he was exerting to keep the dark ninja from getting up and attacking anyone else.

"I'm...so sorry...Kai...everyone..." There was no mistaking it.

Takao's face brightened a bit upon hearing Yuriko's voice, knowing she had really broken through whatever spell had been cast upon her. The auburn-haired girl reached out a shaky hand to grasp Kai's limp one, and she held on tight, as though willing him to wake. To everyone's surprise, the crimson eyes blinked open, albeit wearily.

"So...you've finally...snapped out of it..." he said, his voice barely above a whisper, yet its tone was still rather cocky - an annoying, yet endearing trait. He tried to smirk, but it came out a grimace; wincing, he moved his other hand to try and put pressure on the wound, to stop the bleeding, but he had not the strength and the hand dropped to the ground.

Yuriko hastily wiped her eyes and gave him a small, good-natured smirk. "I came out of it, yeah, but look at _you_! Sounding all strong and self-assured when..." She took a deep breath, shook her head, and then gave his hand one last squeeze. The auburn-haired girl picked up the sword at his side before standing up and then turned around slowly and faced Shinichi, her mouth set firmly in a thin, hard, line.

"You're going to pay for this..." she snarled. "For causing all this trouble and for using me to hurt my friends..."

Shinichi quickly threw Kakashi off of him, sending him flying towards the trees. Thankfully, the masked Jounin twisted in the air, _landing_ on a branch instead of _crashing_ into one.

Yuriko readied herself to go head-to-head with Shinichi, who looked half-crazed with anger, but instead, the dark ninja ran past her. She realized in an instant who his intended target was, and moved to intercept him. Fortunately, Takao, Rei and Max had had the same realization and quickly but carefully picked Kai up and moved him a bit farther from where the fight was about to take place.

A metallic clash rang out as Yuriko and Shinichi's swords collided.

"You're such a coward, Shinichi," Yuriko hissed, apalled by the dark-clad man's disregard for an opponent's inability to fend off attacks. "Attacking someone who can't defend himself."

"If it weren't for his interference, I'd still have my weapon!" Shinichi spat, channeling his strength into the blade of his sword. Yuriko grit her teeth as she was pushed backwards several centimeters, but she kept up her defense, watching out of the corner of her eye for the sign that the members of Team BBA were well out of harm's way. She noted, too, that Kakashi had disappeared from sight, apparently to report the incident to the Hokage or to someone else.

After assuring herself that her friends were at a safe distance, she began to move, to turn the tables in her favor. She leapt upwards, causing Shinichi to stumble forwards with the force of his momentum, and then landed on his back, pushing him to the ground as she leapt off of him. She rounded up quickly onto her feet, turning to face her opponent again.

"You have it all wrong, Shinichi," she said, her brow furrowed as she sheathed her sword. "Kai never interfered in anything. I was still under that spell of yours, unsure whether to believe him or not.

"However, I realized that he'd only pointed a sword at me as a way to get me to stay still long enough to listen to him, never to threaten me; hence, he never wanted to hurt me. It's only logical to think that anyone who won't hurt you is a friend or ally, hm? I finally came to my senses only after you stabbed him, because he told me something you would _never_ understand. Those words helped me to fight off your spell completely..."

Shinichi snarled, the dark fire burning in his palm once more. "At least I can finally get rid of _you_!"

Yuriko moved into a ready stance, holding her sword midway between the forward and lower right attitude. She moved most of her weight onto her lead foot, the muscles in her rear leg tensed and ready.

Shinichi rushed at her, the dark sphere already more than five inches across.

Yuriko grit her teeth, holding her ground, tightening her grip on the hilt. A split-second before the point of impact, she leapt upwards. At the apex of her jump, she moved her sword immediately into the upper right attitude and slashed downwards.

Blood spurted, once more staining the dark gray canvas of the night.

Yuriko landed, one knee on the ground and her sword extended obliquely from her upper torso. And the slumped, her weapon clattering to the ground.

"Foolish girl!" Shinichi said, turning to gloat. "Did you think I'd fall for such an amateurish move? You've sorely underestimated me, Yuriko...and now you'll pay dearly for your mistake!" Two more spheres of that hellish black fire began forming, one in each of the Shikino's palms.

Yuriko, clutching her middle, struggled to a half-sitting position, gasping for air but not seeming to get enough. Through bleary eyes she watched as Shinichi combined the two deadly spheres, and shuddered inwardly. She knew how much power was concentrated in a mere four-inch sphere of that type of chakra; how much more power would be in one that was six inches across, and combined with another of its kind? The amount of devastation, if it connected, wouldn't be doubled, but quadrupled. She was up to her waist in this one. _But no matter..._ she thought as she forced herself to stand up. Whether she lived or died didn't matter to her now; what was important was that she stopped this power-hungry man before the situation became worse.

She lowered her stance as she ran, gathering momentum. Speed was of the essence now; if she didn't move fast enough, Shinichi would be able to attack her once more. Of course, she could deflect that one, too, but she'd have a rough time doing it, and then she wasn't sure she could fully fend off a second attack, if, indeed, the dark ninja could manage one.

Yuriko took a deep breath and finally pushed off, hoping that she'd gathered enough speed and power to take the dark ninja out with only one hit. Seeing their leader fall would be enough to convince their other foes to turn tail and change their minds about trying to usurp power in the Leaf.

Suddenly, she quickly moved her sword - into which she'd channeled most of her chakra - into a defensive position, but she was too slow. She had seen, too late now, that Shinichi had lengthened the sphere until it resembled a large dart, fearful and glowing. This he had thrust at Yuriko, and it was this that she failed to spot in time. However, even as the dark blade pierced her flesh, tearing cruelly through bone and muscle, she mustered enough strength from her reserves to push the arm that held the _kunai_ forwards and into the side of the dark ninja's neck.

As one, the two dropped to the ground. Using her free hand, Yuriko pressed her shirt to the gaping hole in her chest, then quickly sheathed the now-cumbersome steel sword. With her sword arm, the auburn-haired teen reached over towards Shinichi, who was scrabbling for the _kunai_.

"Here...let me...help you with that." The girl said, a tiny smirk gracing her lips even as blood trickled from a corner of her mouth. She grasped the handle of the small blade and pulled sideways, knowing that with that, she had severed the carotid artery and part of the trachea. Death would be knocking on Shinichi's door in a matter of minutes.

Then, a sudden puff of smoke and a popping sound as Shinichi's body was replaced with a large log.

"Shoot..." Yuriko muttered, chest heaving with the exertion to breathe. Kawarimi no Jutsu she thought. _And if so, where is he...?_ she struggled to sit up, but failed; the steady blood loss had taken most of her strength. _Dammit..._

"I can't believe you fell for that..."

Amethyst eyes widened upon hearing that, and Yuriko knew that the dark ninja was now standing over her, though she couldn't see what he'd do next. But then, she noticed that the moon had cast Shinichi's shadow in front of her; perhaps she could use that.

"And now..."

Yuriko watched as the Shikino's right hand seem to grow a pointed extension at right angles to it, and knew that he'd taken out a _kunai_, probably extending and sharpening it with his dark chakra. Her right arm she braced against the closely-packed soil, tensed and ready to heave her out of the weapon's deadly path.

The dark ninja's shadow moved, and Yuriko pushed off with as much strength as she could muster; she could have used chakra as a boost, but she couldn't seem to channel it properly due to fatigue. She twisted her body as she neared the ground around five feet away from where she'd originally lain, trying to land on her feet so as not to aggravate her chest area more. The minute she landed, though, her legs collapsed from under her and she fell. She let out a small groan as she landed on her side, jarring her ribcage and sending jolts of pain throughout her torso. And then she started.

Like a grotesque statue, Uchiha Sasuke and Shikino Shinichi stood frozen, the shafts of each other's weapons all but disappeared in the other's body. Sasuke's Kusanagi was buried deep within Shinichi's chest, its extra layer of stark blue-white electricity providing a blinding background to the dark ninja's chakra-enhanced _kunai_, which had pierced through the flesh of the Uchiha's abdomen.

In tandem, the two ninja pulled their weapons sideways, widening the wounds and extending the damage they'd inflicted on each other. Sasuke slumped to his knees, his sword arm hanging at his side and the sword dangled from half-uncurled fingers. Shinichi fell to the ground, several major blood vessels severed, the blood fairly spurting out of him and spattering onto the ground and onto the teen who had been his demise. "You know..." Sasuke said - as he watched the dying ninja - his voice near-inaudible but sounding just as strong as always, "You should be constantly on the lookout for other threats...other enemies nearby...otherwise...you're never really safe..."

Finally, Shinichi's eyelids fluttered closed for the final time.

_Thank goodness he's finally gone..._ Yuriko heaved a sigh of relief. Then, having held her head up until this point, she allowed herself to rest it, finally, on the ground, easing her neck muscles as she did so. She was barely aware of the sound of Sasuke hitting the ground, too.

She forced herself to stay awake, keeping her eyes on the abandoned, ruined carriage. It seemed ironic to her that, despite all that had happened around it, the wooden vehicle, an inanimate object, was still in what could be considered a standing position, while most of the animate ones were lying on the ground, spent, dying, or dead.

Then, her vision blurred, and Yuriko shook her head, blinking. _You have to stay awake! _she scolded herself. _You're resting now, but you'll have to get up sooner or later; everyone's probably going to looking for you..._

"Yuriko! Sasuke!" came the call, but it seemed so faint and from so far away that the amethyst-eyed girl didn't think it was real; she could have already been asleep and dreaming at that point, but she couldn't really tell. And then, someone obscured her view of a dead Shinichi - she was happy to have finally exacted revenge, somehow, for her family and wanted to wallow in it a bit more - and she frowned slightly at her inability to identify the person.

"Wh-what..." she managed before _her_ eyes closed, too, and her left hand, which had been pressed against her chest, relaxed and fell away, revealing the wound.

"Crap!" Sakura exclaimed as her fellow _kunoichi_ went limp, and she caught a glimpse of the damage caused by Shinichi's final attack.

A few feet away, Naruto knelt, holding on to Sasuke and berating him for putting himself in danger. A few tears were visible on the blonde ninja's cheeks; he didn't think he would ever see his best friend in such a state, and he could tell from the amount of blood staining the Uchiha's dark blue shirt that it wasn't good.

Sakura quickly assessed Yuriko's wounds, aware that Tsunade had arrived just seconds after she and her companions did and was now doing the same thing with Sasuke, and then turned to the former bladers who stood behind her. Kai had been brought to the hospital a few minutes earlier for monitoring, and seeing another friend in such a condition did nothing to ease their concern. "It looks really bad..."

"Can't you do something?" Rei knelt next to her, trying to keep himself from shuddering when he saw just how injured his friend was. "You're a medic nin, right?"

"Well, yes, but I'm not sure-"

"Please, Sakura-_san_, you have to try!" Max begged. As a friend, he'd grown quite attached to the auburn-haired teen and didn't think it fair for all of her loved ones' sacrifices for her safety to go to waste.

"A-all right..." the pink-haired _kunoichi_ nodded once, and then bent to her task. A gentle green surrounded the girl's hands, suddenly making the atmosphere appear calmer. For a few minutes, she was silent; Rei, Max, and Takao, out of respect, fell to watching quietly what was taking place. Suddenly, Sakura spoke up, sweat beginning to break out on her face and along her neck. "I know you want her to be all right...but I...can't guarantee that I can repair such massive damage..."

"It's okay, Sakura..." Rei assured her, though in his mind he was already panicking. "We know you're trying your best, so there's no need to worry..."

Sakura gave a small, grateful smile, and then went back to focusing her entire being on her task.

_C'mon, Yuriko..._ Rei thought, glancing at the limp girl's already pale face, and noted that it was growing paler still. _Don't give up...not now, not after all that's happened... _The neko-jin glanced over to where Tsunade was working on Sasuke for the second time since the start of that night's second battle, and found himself wishing fervently for Sasuke's recovery as well.

Meanwhile, the sky, which had remained dark for the most part of the battle, now began to brighten, the colors of the new dawn creeping across the clouds and chasing away the interfering shadows left over from the discarded night. The moon, whose silver sphere had stood as witness to the horror of the battle, now chose to hide herself behind a wispy cloud bank, slowly acquiescing to the first rays of the sun as they peeked over the far-off mountains.

* * *

A/N: Wooh...that was quite a long scene...no page breaks whatsoever! O.o pardon my babbling... Did I leave anyone in the dark, or lost and wandering back there? Just checking...oh, and in case you're wondering, the chapter title means '_Before Night Breaks' - _in other words, before dawn... XD

Peace out, everyone! God bless!


	19. Epilogue: Towards Tomorrow

A/N: I'm sooooo sorry! It's been such a loooooong time since the last chapter, ne? -sweatdrops- As usual, partly to blame are myself, and the fact that I was kept busy with schoolwork for the second semester _and_ this summer (summer class! -dies-)

All that's over now, though…as is this fic.

-hides from random thrown items- I'm sorry; this was supposed to be the second to last chapter, but I found that I couldn't break it down properly. So….

Anyway, I want to hear your opinions on the three possible endings I have for this, with each leading to one of three possible sequels (I haven't planned them that thoroughly, though). The details will be in the author's note at the end of the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, except for the OCs, so don't sue me, okay? _Dozo_.

* * *

**Epilogue: Towards Tomorrow**

"Glad to see you're up."

Kai blinked, wincing, as bright light surged into his pupils. Once his eyes had adjusted to the sudden invasion and his vision had cleared, he sat up as quickly as he could manage. He could tell that he'd been out for quite some time, and that annoyed him. _Dammit..._ he thought savagely as he remembered what had happened before he lost consciousness. _I let myself get careless! And now, I've wound up here, in a hospital...Darn..._

And then, suddenly remembering that someone was in the room with him - the person who'd greeted him - he turned his head slightly in order to identify his visitor.

It was Hiromi.

The ruby-eyed girl grinned happily. "None the worse for wear, I hope." It wasn't a question, and she wasn't really expecting an answer. The slate-haired teen turned away, one arm propped up on a bended knee.

"You don't need to be so hard on yourself, you know..." Hiromi said after a time. Kai glanced back at her quickly, crimson eyes widening slightly.

_How'd she-?_

The auburn-haired teen grinned again, only less happily. She hadn't been ecstatic upon learning that Kai and the others had practically rushed into battle without telling anyone until the situation became dire enough to warrant back-up. "You may not be saying anything, but your face and body language convey the message perfectly, Kai. I'll say it again: you mustn't expect so much of yourself. Whether you like it or not, you're new to this world, a rookie; albeit a powerful one, but that makes no difference. You've little experience in their kind of combat, and your lasting as long as at least one of the veterans is something to be proud of in itself."

"...Yeah...still..."

Kai turned away again, choosing instead to glance outside the window. Nothing but blue sky, white clouds of all shapes and sizes, and the occasional bird. Was it really just hours ago that a full moon hung in the darkened sky, mute witness to their life-or-death battle?

Hiromi rested her chin on her palm and observed the young man in front of her, much like an artist would study her model and then the palette, searching for the correct color and pose to convey a certain mood. He seemed...restless, somehow. Was it-?

"In case you're wondering, almost everyone came out relatively unscathed," she began - an attempt to ease the worry she'd seen creasing the slate-haired teen's brow. "You should have seen Sasuke when they tried to bring him in. Hokage-sama had already healed him - for the second time, so I've been told - and he absolutely refused to be admitted for monitoring. But Sakura talked to him, and he...finally consented, I guess you could say. Naruto underwent a cursory examination, seeing as he was injured earlier, but I guess he's fully recovered now. And...and..." The auburn-haired girl stopped, hesitant to tell him the rest.

For a time they stayed silent, Hiromi glancing at her folded hands in her lap, Kai staring out of the window, motionless.

"There's something else, isn't there?" the crimson-eyed teen asked at length. Hiromi's head jerked up. She hadn't been expecting the stoic boy to say anything! Kai's head was still facing the window, but he was looking at her out of the corner of his eye. Still in a bit of a shock at how easily he'd read her mind, she blinked, something that Kai took as a reply in itself.

"It's about Yuriko." A statement, simple as that, but to Hiromi, it said a lot. She could do nothing but nod slowly, eyes downcast.

"And you won't tell me because..." the slate-haired teen prompted.

"...I...I just...I don't want to...get your hopes up..." The ruby-eyed teen stammered, lacing her fingers together in her lap.

All was silent once more; Hiromi just stared at her lap, feeling as though she were watching someone else play with their hands, while Kai turned to watch her. And then, he let loose an involuntary gasp, which, thankfully, Hiromi hadn't heard. Kai squinted and leaned forward a bit. Were those..._tears_ in his companion's eyes?

In a flash, he understood, and he shook his head at his own slowness to grasp the situation. Slowly, he adjusted his position until he faced Hiromi, his legs crossed beneath the snow-white blanket. And then, after an initial hesitation - he was himself surprised at what he was about to do - he reached out and grasped the girl's hand in his own.

At the contact, Hiromi's eyes widened. She then glanced up, a few tears escaping their watery prison.

"...Kai?"

"When did you notice?" Kai asked quietly, his face somber.

"A...a few days ago, I began to suspect it. My suspicions were confirmed last night, when...when Yuriko broke down when she thought she'd murdered you accidentally."

_Are we _that_ easy to read?_ Kai thought, hoping that only Hiromi had noticed. He didn't think he could stand all four of his teammates teasing him - albeit good-naturedly - about his developing feelings for another human being. In the awkward silence, he cast about his mind for the best way to phrase what he felt he had to say, to ease, somehow, the weight of Hiromi's negative emotions. The ruby-eyed girl beat him to it, though.

"Kai, I know it's wrong, somehow, to still want you for myself. Even after I know that you're engaged to someone, I still-"

The slate-haired teen immediately held up a hand to silence her; he understood what she was trying to say.

"I know, Hiromi, and I'm really sorry it had to be this way." Kai began, hoping that he was going about it the right way. "But, apart from my obligation to my grandfather - a matter of family honor - I now know that I have another obligation to myself to follow through on this."

There. He'd done it. He'd admitted to liking Yuriko, however implicitly it was stated; he was sure Hiromi would be able to spot it. He had no choice now, then, than to continue.

"However, I have _you_ to thank. If we hadn't met, I don't think I would have discovered that I could care for another person on a level higher than friendship."

At this, Hiromi glanced up again. "How do you mean?"

"When we first met, I was surprised that you didn't fall all over yourself trying to impress me, trying to get me to notice you. You were yourself, Hiromi, and I believe that's what drew me to you."

"Wh-WHAT?!" Hiromi blinked once more, shocked. "Y-you mean, you...actually..."

Kai nodded, allowing a small smile to grace his lips; the look on the auburn-haired girl's face was such that he had to react, in some way. "Yes, I did. _Once_. But I suppressed it. We were still young - you were only thirteen! - _too_ young for any relationship to be so serious that it would last as long as we wanted. And I didn't want to hurt you in that way, so I held back.

"In time, I guess, the feelings subsided, and it was then I knew it was just a passing phase. Not true love, I'm sorry to say...

"But... you were the first person I ever cared for in that way. It was a new experience, and a learning ground for me. I'm not saying that you were...an experiment. You were more than that, believe me."

"I..." Hiromi tried to speak, but failed, her voice having all but disappeared after that first syllable. She wanted so much to say that she understood; she could see just how much knowing he had hurt her was weighing on Kai's shoulders, and she wanted to help lift it. But she knew also that what she wanted to say was a lie, and she couldn't do that. Kai seemed to read her mind this time, too, and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm not asking you to forget your feelings for me; emotions can't be willed away with the snap of a finger or in the blink of an eye. I should know; I thought I could be…emotionless, but…" The teen shrugged. "Look what happened in the end. Also, you don't need to force yourself to understand; you'll only hurt yourself more."

Kai sighed, and then let go of Hiromi's hand. "I told you this because I didn't want to string you along, letting you get your hopes up too high, only to disappoint you in the end. I may not care for you in the way I did before, Hiromi, but I still don't want to see you get hurt. Especially if I know _I_ was the one who hurt you..."

Fresh tears welled up in Hiromi's eyes when she heard what Kai had said. In the short time they'd known each other, this was the first time she'd heard him willingly bare his feelings to anyone, let alone let anyone know he liked a certain someone. While saddened by his words, she was happy, too, that it was she he had chosen to 'confess' to.

"Oh, and Hiromi?" Kai said after a few more minutes of comfortable silence.

"Hmm?"

"Not a word to the others on what I've just told you and what went on here, all right?" the phoenix wielder said, the leader-like quality returning to his voice. "You _do_ know I have Kinomiya and the others' image of me to think of..."

Hiromi nodded, understanding what he was getting at. "Of course, Kai. I'm just...glad, I guess, that you decided to open up, even just a little bit..."

Kai turned away from her, glancing again out of the window, the smile on his features going unnoticed.

* * *

"Do you think she's awake?" Hiromi shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She and Kai were standing outside the door to Yuriko's hospital room - she'd been assigned to a single ward - debating whether or not to enter...and risk disturbing its occupant.

In reply, Kai slowly swung the door open, trying to generate as little noise as possible, and then peeped inside. Then he shook his head good-naturedly, something similar to a chuckle escaping his throat, and then he gestured for Hiromi to follow him in.

"I was wondering when you two would come in," Yuriko glanced up as the pair entered. She was sitting up, a sketchpad propped up on her knees. "Why didn't you knock? You know I would have answered..."

"We...didn't want to disturb you..." Hiromi replied, smiling as she went and sat down on one of the nearby chairs. "How long have you been up?"

The auburn-haired girl smiled back, and then gestured to the bedside table, which held a box of colored pencils and three or four blending stumps. "What do you think?"

Kai gazed back and forth at the two girls, bewildered at how close they'd become in so short a time; regardless of Hiromi's initial hostility towards Yuriko - he suspected it was because the ruby-eyed girl had seen Yuriko as her rival in the relationships department - they were acting as though they'd been friends since childhood! But perhaps that was a good thing.

He went closer to the bed, choosing to sit in a rather uncomfortable, strait-backed wooden chair. He was about to reach for Yuriko's hand when the door burst open with a loud, ungainly creak, and Takao and Max scampered in.

"Excuse me!" he said quickly, literally diving underneath Yuriko's bed. Max closed the door, careful not to make any sound, and then quickly crouched down beside the armchair Hiromi sat in, on the side farthest from the entrance.

"What the heck are you two-" Hiromi started, when Max reached up and clapped a hand across her mouth.

"Shhh!" he cautioned, a finger to his lips. "Don't tell her we're here, okay? Oh, crap!" The blonde withdrew his hand, ducking low once more. A split second later, the door banged open again.

"Where are they?!"

Kai twisted around in his seat and saw that it was Sakura this time. Her jade eyes were practically blazing, and she had a half-conscious Naruto by the collar of his black and orange jacket. Instantly, the slate-haired teen sensed that this was what his two teammates were hiding from.

"Sakura-san? What's wrong? Where are who?" Yuriko asked, feigning ignorance.

"Takao and Max," the pink-haired girl snapped, glancing about. "They ran somewhere down this corridor, I know it."

"Well, I haven't seen them," Yuriko answered, trying to suppress a smile. "If you're looking for them, why don't you try the empty rooms? They could be there..."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, as though doing so would instantly make the two she sought instantly appear before her. After a few minutes, she turned on her heel, tightening her grip as poor Naruto tried to get away, and slammed the door shut.

A few more minutes passed before Takao peeked out from his hiding place. "Is...is she gone?"

Max gave him the thumbs-up accompanied by his signature kitty-cat grin. "Yup!" he nodded, feeling relieved and triumphant. At this, the steel blue-haired boy heaved a sigh and crawled out from under the bed.

"Man, is Sakura scary!" he muttered, leaning forwards on his hands, which were on the bed. "When I saw what she did to Naruto..." he shook his head and shuddered. "She's scarier than you are, Hiromi!"

"What happened, anyway?" Hiromi asked, choosing to ignore the comparison. Even _here_ Takao was getting into trouble!

Max grinned sheepishly. "Err...well...let's just say we - Naruto, Takao, and myself - accidentally caused her to drop the medical files she'd been working at arranging for the past few hours..."

"So they were scattered, all out of order?" Yuriko asked, looking amused.

Takao nodded slowly, also looking foolish. "We apologized, but..."

"-She got mad, beat up on Naruto, and after you two ran away, chased you down." Hiromi finished. That was obviously what had happened. The pair nodded slowly, looking sheepish.

"Well, at least I can say my hospital stay wasn't all that boring…" Yuriko mused, her lips upturned in a small smile. "Not with you two, anyway,"

"So the rest of us aren't any fun; is that it?" Hiromi asked as she turned away, looking offended.

For a moment, Yuriko was confused, but realization dawned, and she _almost_ grinned. She quickly hid it, though, and played along. "Yeah, Hiromi; you and the others are about as interesting as a bunch of twigs on the ground."

At that, the ruby-eyed girl seized the pillow at the foot of the bed – apparently, Yuriko had had no need of it – and began swinging at the other girl. "Thanks a lot!" Hiromi may have sounded miffed – a bit angry, even – but there was a hint of a smile playing on her lips. Laughing, Yuriko grabbed the pillow she'd been leaning on and tried hitting back. "What? I'm just telling it like it is!"

It wasn't exactly an all-out pillow fight, but the two looked like they were having fun. Kai quickly moved his chair out of the way just as Takao and Max joined in the fray – Takao using a pillow that had fallen to the floor, Max using the extra blanket placed on one of the other chairs.

Kai shook his head as he watched his companions – except for Rei and Kyouju who weren't present. _They can be so childish sometimes…_ he thought, wincing as Yuriko got a pretty good whack on the head courtesy of Takao. Pretty soon, the pillow fight had gone from friendly thumps on whatever body part came in contact with the 'weapon' to a small-scale war. Yuriko even got up and they moved the fight from the bed to the floor. A few minutes later, the door banged open again, and the fighters stopped short, each one in various positions of hitting their opponents, weapons held aloft.

It was Sakura.

"Uh…oh…" Takao muttered, eyes widening slightly. "Don't tell me she's still mad…"

The pink-haired _kunoichi_ stalked over to the teens who, moments ago, had been targets of her ire, and scowled.

"Uh…Sakura-_san_..." Yuriko started to say, attempting to move in front of her two friends and to dissuade her fellow female nin from hurting the two, if that truly was her intention. In an unexpected move, Sakura produced two pillows – probably from one of the empty rooms – and whacked both Takao and Max on their heads.

"I _thought_ I heard the sounds of a pillow fight from in here…" she said, sounding stern. "And hey, if I join in, that gives me legitimate reason to hit these two -" he gestured towards Max and Takao – "as much as I want."

"Oh, boy…" Genbu's and Seiryuu's masters exchanged nervous glances – pretending to be worried, of course – and then initiated an attack on the _kunoichi_ before she could do anything to _them_.

"Hey!"

"It's only a game, Sakura, chill out!"

"Yeah, but I'm supposed to hit _you_! You guys had it coming since you ruined all my hard work earlier!"

"But it was an accident! I swear!"

* * *

"I'm really glad all of you are feeling better now," Yuriko began, staring at her hands twisting the pale handkerchief in her lap. "Especially since I know I'm partially to blame for what happened…"

It was around three days after that grim night of betrayal and bloodshed. True, the enemy had been all but vanquished, but for the briefest time, Yuriko had been among the opposing forces, and she'd never forgotten that. Thankfully, those who'd been injured in that last clash between the dark ninja and Konoha had healed up with no further complications – particularly Sasuke, who'd been impaled _twice_ in quick succession.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Yuriko," Rei remarked, nodding his thanks as a steaming bowl of noodles was placed before him. The neko-jin reached over to get his chopsticks.

Yes, the group had gathered at the Ichiraku Ramen – though they didn't quite fit into the small stall – mainly to celebrate Yuriko, Kai, and Sasuke's speedy recoveries. The others had been injured, too, of course, but not to extent of needing hospitalization and monitoring; their coming out of battle relatively unscathed was also part of the cause for celebration.

"Yeah!" Takao agreed, poised to start wolfing down his pork ramen. "We all know you were being controlled somehow…"

"I know that," the auburn-haired girl replied, taking a pair of clean chopsticks from the stand. "But I'm still sorry for what I did…"

Wordlessly, Kai also took a pair of chopsticks from the stand, glancing at Yuriko's solemn face. Hiromi noticed this, too, and nudged her friend gently.

"Huh?"

"Quit worrying, girl!" Hiromi said, pointing her chopsticks at Yuriko for emphasis – and nearly taking the girl's eyes out with the wooden eating utensils in the process. "What matters is that everyone's safe now, the Shikino are most likely gone, Konohagakure is at peace, and we're all together."

"That's true…"

"And hey," Naruto cut in as he gulped down a large mouthful of noodles and toppings. "At least nothing uh…happened when you guys performed your ninjutsu…" he glanced at his two teammates and made a quick gesture with his free hand. The pink-haired girl choked, and then brought a hand up to cover her mouth, while the Uchiha coughed slightly and looked away. Takao frowned.

"What?" he could sense that the three more experienced ninja were trying hard to mask their laughter. "What's so funny?"

At that moment, Naruto apparently remembered something very hilarious related to the joke he'd silently shared with Sasuke and Sakura, and practically spewed out the mouthful he'd been chewing on all over his second cousin.

"_Yuck_!" The stormy-eyed teen jumped up and quickly brushed the chewed up noodles off of his shirt; thankfully, there had been very little liquid when the disgusting things came flying out of his 'long-lost' relative's mouth, so it was almost nothing to worry about.

Hiromi and the others were laughing now, too, only _they_ were laughing at how funny Takao looked. _Now_ he'd probably know what it felt like when _he_ did the same to them, back in Tokyo. Yuriko, however, was laughing at both the silent joke – she'd had a part in it, after all – and Takao's appearance.

Finally, Naruto managed to calm down enough to spit out a hint. "T-Takara…"

Takao's face fell, and then he rounded on Yuriko. "You _told_ them what happened back then?!"

"Hey, it made for a great icebreaker!" Yuriko protested half-heartedly, also thinking back to the training session she and Team BBA had had, when everything had gone horribly wrong. "We haven't seen rookies make those mistakes in quite a while, you know!"

"Come to think of it, what we did _was_ pretty funny…" Max said in agreement. Rei grinned, his fangs showing; even Kai had a hint of a smile.

Only Kyouju and Hiromi didn't share the group's mirth. "Why?" the bespectacled teen asked, curious now. "When did this happen? And what happened?"

Her grin a bit wider now, Yuriko hopped off of her stool and went over to the two teens, who were still in the dark about that particular incident. "Remember the day I taught Takao and the others how to utilize their chakra to perform _ninjutsu_ ? Well, something happened while they were training and …"

A few minutes later, laughter rang out from the small stall; somehow, the tale seemed funnier the second time around, for even those who'd heard it first were chuckling.

"So _that's_ why you didn't come to dinner, Takao…" Hilary commented, wiping away the glistening dewdrops that had escaped their prison.

"Well, what was I supposed to do, show off my female side at your expense?" the dark blue-haired teen shot back, though he was still smiling. "I don't think so! Besides, I can perform _ninjutsu_ fairly easily now!"

"That's true…" Naruto said, picking up his chopsticks again in order to hide a mischievous grin. "But you never know when you'll slip up again…Takara."

"Shut up…"

* * *

"What do you mean 'It's happening again'?" Kai whispered as he followed Yuriko towards her room.

The auburn-haired girl pursed her lip, unsure of how to answer. "I…I mean just that, Kai. I've a feeling -"

"-and that's probably all it is: a feeling." The Hiwatari heir interrupted. It was hard not be cranky when you've been roused from slumber a mere three hours after your head hit the pillow and you fell asleep.

Yuriko whirled around, purple eyes flashing. No words were needed; it was obvious to Kai that she was a bit put out and disappointed that he for not taking her at her word.

And then she yanked the screen door open – they'd reached her room without Kai realizing it – and gestured towards the hole in the screen door that led to the rear porch. Crimson eyes lingered on the splintered wood and torn yellowish paper, noting that the size of the hole was too large to have been a rock or some other projectile. And then he glanced at the space almost directly underneath the forcefully-made 'window'.

True enough, there it was again, as though they were living through some grim replay of events that had occurred weeks before. It was a dark-furred animal, twitching as it lay in the final throes of death; its blood had pooled around it, glinting dully in what little light remained. Just like last time, a _kunai _protruded from what must have been the creature's neck, and a small pouch hung from it with its cords. Inches away from the body, nearer to Yuriko's now-disheveled _futon_, lay a small square sheet of rice paper, any writing unseen because it had been turned over.

"What's… on the paper?" he asked. He knew that the dead animal was something of a bad omen, but was totally in the dark about the paper and its contents from the first incident.

Yuriko took a deep breath and pulled him into the room, at the same time, sliding the door shut. The slate-haired teen heard the whisper of bare feet on the floorboards, the sleeve of a robe brushing his arm as Yuriko stepped past him. There was the low scratching sound, a small pinpoint of light suddenly appeared, only to be dimmed once more. This was only temporary, though, and suddenly, a paper lamp flared to life. The light was low and not very bright, but coupled with what light streamed in, it was enough to see by.

Kai followed Yuriko's example – the girl was now seated on the floor – and waited expectantly. He didn't have to wait long; the next moment, he found himself holding the same sheet of paper that had been lying on the floor. A black circle, encompassing nine smaller circles that, in turn, circled the pictogram that stood for _komuso_.

"No way…" Kai half-whispered, surprised. He'd seen the emblem before – on the clothing of the Shikino ninja. Kakashi had explained the meaning of the emblem back then: one big circle to represent the clan; nine circles for the nine ways the Shikino disposed of enemies; and the ideogram that stood for the beggar-priest, the virtue of the profession having been twisted by the dark clan. A beggar-priest owned nothing save his begging bowl, straw hat, and the priest's garments he wore day in and day out; the Shikino warped this image into that of a ruthless killer who lived for nothing save to kill. That same pictogram could be traced back to that signifying the Void, the so-called sixth element. At its best, it was the combination of all five elements – fire, earth, wind, water, and lightning – but at its worst, it was an absence of those five. And this was the side the Shikino utilized, the absence of any element whatsoever.

The emblem was also used as some sort of calling card. By itself, it held no meaning for the recipient, but if attached to a dark-furred animal that had been wounded so grievously so the blood would stand out against the fur… it meant that death was forthcoming, either for the one who received the 'message', or for someone close to the recipient's heart.

The crimson-eyed teen looked up from the paper, staring into Yuriko's eyes. They were there, her emotions: anger, confusion, fear… these, he felt, too, but strangely not for himself. And there were questions that had to be asked, yet neither one ventured to ask them. Finally, Kai did; after all, they couldn't sit here all night long, saying nothing. "Do you think the remaining Shikino – if there _are_ any – are just trying to scare you…or do you think this is a real threat?"

Yuriko shook her head slowly. "I don't know, Kai… I honestly don't know. But…" she took a deep, shuddering breath. "But just to be on the safe side, I think I should stay here while you and the others go back to Tokyo."

Kai frowned. "That doesn't sound so 'safe', Yuriko…"

"I meant safe for the rest of you, not necessarily for me…" the amethyst-eyed _kunoichi_ replied. "You _know_ they're after me, and not anyone else."

"Yes, but you need _someone_ with you…" Strong hands grasped Yuriko's slimmer ones, and she fought to squash the flush that was slowly creeping into her cheeks. "I don't want you risking your neck to get rid of these guys, and that's why I'm staying with you…"

It was Yuriko's turn to frown. "I don't care to discuss the matter; you barely survived the last encounter…and I don't want to put you – or anyone else – through any more trouble than I already have.

"That's all I've brought you: trouble," she went on, pulling away from Kai's grasp. "I thought it would be fine once Shinichi, his twin, and the others were gone, but I…I was wrong. This…" She gestured towards the paper and the dead animal. "This is proof of it. Please, Kai, don't stay here. If you do, Takao and the others will want to know what happened, and once they know about this, they'll want to stay, too…" The amethyst-eyed teen looked away, hands shuddering slightly as they found their way to the insides of her kimono sleeves. "I don't think I can handle all of you being in trouble-"

"Quit being so noble," Kai interrupted. In truth, he had an idea of what the girl was feeling, and he knew Yuriko had good intentions, but he didn't think it was wise to act on emotion alone. "Takao, the others, and I have only ourselves to blame; we _chose_ to get involved, that's all."

"The only reason any of you got involved was because I told you what was going on," Yuriko countered. "So if you chose to be involved, it's because you _knew_ what was happening because _I_ told you!"

Kai sighed, brushing a few stray strands of slate gray hair from his eyes. "That may be true, Yuriko, but has it ever occurred to you that knowing you could bring something other than trouble?"

The auburn-haired teen blinked, confused. "'Other than…' How do you mean?"

The crimson-eyed blader-turned-rookie ninja shook his head as he stood up, ready to leave. "Don't be too rash in your decisions, that's all I'm saying." There was the sound of the sliding _shouji_, and Kai was gone, leaving Yuriko to her thoughts.

* * *

"So… the first time you got hurt, it _wasn't_ you?" Naruto asked, flopping down onto the grass and folding his arms behind his head as a pillow. Beside him, tilted his head back and allowed his jet-black hair to blow back in the slight breeze.

"Yeah, it wasn't," he replied, breathing deeply. It seemed almost unreal that not even a week ago, that large clearing just outside of Konoha had been the site of a bloodbath which he and his friends had taken part in. Not a trace of the battle was left now, and the ground seemed to shimmer innocently in the fading sunlight.

"Don't forget, Naruto, the Sharingan allows me to sense _ninjutsu_ and _genjutsu_ before they take effect. So it was a simple matter of creating a shadow clone that wouldn't disappear after taking a hit." Creating the clone had been the easy part; maintaining it…now _that_ had been the problem, but the young Uchiha had somehow managed not to give himself away, even when Naruto and Sakura had been under threat. That event still hung in Sasuke's mind: how he had allowed his best friend to be skewered by that evil ninja while he struggled to prevent his clone from disappearing… all to keep up the illusion and to find out what purpose the black dome had served.

But, somehow, Sasuke knew Naruto had understood. Their relationship had been improving ever since the _jinchuuriki_ managed to persuade him to leave Orochimaru a few years before, to the point that they were no longer friends but _brothers_.

"Hey, Sasuke?" Naruto's voice, quieter than usual, suddenly interrupted his thoughts, and the obsidian-eyed teen turned his head slightly to glance at the blonde.

"Hm?

"The next time Sakura-_chan_ is under threat, it's _your_ turn to take the blow, all right?" Naruto grinned cheekily; and Sasuke knew it was one of his joking comments. "I mean, I don't take kindly to having a hole punched through me like what that Shikino guy did…"

"Shut up, _usuratonkachi_; I'll do whatever I want…" the Uchiha replied, playing along with a forced grin on his face. He was remembering how his friend had looked when _he_, Sasuke, had used the Chidori on the boy; how many times would he allow Naruto to get hurt?

"Nice sunset, huh?" Once more, the blonde burst through the grim silence of the world of thought, the smile still on his face; this time, it was one of contentment. Sasuke glanced towards the horizon, where the sun was slowly sinking, throwing the surroundings into contrast – mostly dull oranges and shadowy purple.

One sentence, so deceiving in its simplicity, yet it held so much meaning. Because of the life he, Naruto, and Sakura led, it was rare that any of them could take in a scene such as this. And so to be able to take a break and relax, even for a while… Sasuke shook his negative thoughts away; that was in the past now – all of it. And he smiled, too, at peace for the moment.

Just as the setting sun brought another day to a close, it held the promise of tomorrow.

And that was exactly what was in front of them.

* * *

A/N: Gah! OOC Kai! –tears hair out-

Okay, I'm calm… Hai, owari (Okay, we're done). Heh. I only noticed today that this fic is a little over a year old now. XD

Anyway, this is where I need your input. Right now, there are four different possible outcomes of this little discussion, and they are: a. Kai finally agrees to leave Yuriko in Konoha; b. Yuriko and Kai stay in Konoha while the rest go back to Tokyo; c. everyone stays in Konoha; or d. everyone goes back to Tokyo.

Each conclusion will affect the setting and plot of the sequel (whether its still a crossover or not, and where it happens), so choose carefully!

PS. Sherbet Mayhem, I know that there weren't many scenes featuring the Naruto characters, but that's because this was first and foremost a Beyblade fic; the idea of a crossover with Naruto came much later. But depending on the choice that wins, the next fic might have more Naruto in it this time around. –grin–


End file.
